Library's "Max" book club expands to Archdale, Randleman, Seagrove

Asheboro library Max and Imaginary Friends Book Club members sport t-shirts featuring the imaginary character Max.

ASHEBORO – “Max and Imaginary Friends,” the Randolph County Public Library’s book club for children in grades 2-5, will begin monthly meetings at Archdale, Randleman and Seagrove libraries in October.

              

The club meets at the Asheboro library on the third Wednesday of each month. At Archdale, meetings will take place on the third Monday beginning October 19; at Randleman on the third Thursday beginning October 15; and at Seagrove on the third Tuesday beginning October 20.

Each meeting is from 3:30-4:30 p.m. except at Seagrove, where the club meets from 3-4 p.m.; all readers are invited but reluctant readers are especially welcome. Up for discussion at all four October meetings are books from the Black Lagoon series by Mike Thayler.

Children’s librarian Susan Coltrane, now retired, initiated the club in January 2014, and continues to lead it as a volunteer. Participation does not necessarily require all children to read the same book; meetings may focus on authors like Laura Ingalls Wilder or topics like Abraham Lincoln, with kids encouraged to read and talk about any book by the author or about the topic.

At each meeting, the participants read aloud and discuss the reading selections. Some meetings also feature related hands-on activities.

The club takes its name from a character created by Len Harrison, a teen whom Coltrane mentored while working at the Archdale library in the 1990s. Len, a reluctant reader, became an avid reader as a library volunteer.

She also liked to draw, and created an imaginary character named Max. Len passed away several months after starting at the library; her memory inspired Coltrane to create the club and name it in Max’s honor.

For further information or to sign up for the club, contact your local library: Archdale, 431-3811; Asheboro, 318-6804; Randleman, 498-3141; Seagrove, 873-7521.