With the kids finally done with school and the whole summer stretching out ahead of them, parents once again ask the age old question, “How on Earth will we keep them interested and occupied for the next eight weeks?”

Fear not! We live in a region packed with fun things to do for kids - The Railway Village, the Children’s Garden at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Dolphin Mini Golf, and so much more, including the great outdoors!

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library also has you covered with activities to keep the whole family entertained this summer. Visit the library for Friday Storytimes, Giant Games on the Lawn, special Author talks, the Hallowell Community Band on Thursday nights, a Family Read & Watch on the lawn, and more. Visit bbhlibrary.org/events for the full schedule of events.

One of our favorite summer activities at BHML is the Summer Reading Passport program, now in its fourth year. In addition to encouraging kids to read more over the summer, it celebrates the culture of literacy that our region fosters through the sponsors that make our summer reading program possible. The Summer Reading Passport is full of reading challenges and activities. Kids read their way to prizes and raffle tickets for chance to win grand prizes like bikes, Sherman’s Bookstore gift cards, backpacks, stuffed animals, mini golf tickets, a pizza & movie night at the library, “Librarian for the Day,” and more!

Last year 119 children signed up for a Summer Reading Passport, resulting in 316 separate library visits, 740 reading challenges completed, and well over 1,000 collective hours of youth summer reading! This year promises to be our biggest yet. We want everyone to be involved, so we expanded the passports to offer different versions for each age group, and even one for short-term visitors to the region. We also have prizes for Adult Summer Readers: read books…get raffle tickets!

BHML’s Summer Reading Program kicks off at Windjammers for Wee Matey’s Tuesday, June 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the Library Lawn. Join us for games on the lawn, visit the tattoo parlor, make some Pirate Treasure Slime, learn how to talk like a pirate, and choose your pirate name. But beware, ye better behave or ye will have to walk the plank! Summer Reading Passports will be available June 27 to Aug. 17.

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, 4 Oak Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. (207) 633-3112.