Randolph libraries promise a T-Rexcellent summer of reading activities

Luke Vandergriff

ASHEBORO -- Dig into a DINO-mite Summer Reading experience at your Randolph County Public Libraries with a prehistoric season of stories, discovery and fun! Stomp, chomp and explore your way into a summer packed with performances, puppets, magic, storytimes, hands-on activities and more with reading challenges and rewards that are saurus-ly awesome!

“Unearth a Story” is the dinosaur-focused theme of this year’s Summer Reading initiative, which offers children and teens a no-pressure way to stay engaged with reading and learning while out of school, so they can avoid “summer slide” and be ready to pick up where they left off when school starts in the fall. Adults aren’t extinct from the fun either, with author visits and hands-on experiences. Everyone gets to roar into reading!

Visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer for a complete schedule of events, or pick up calendars at your local library.

Bright Star Touring Theatre

Appearing at all libraries in June is musical storyteller Luke Vandergriff with DinoHearts. Vandergriff creates an imaginative, interactive, bilingual English/Spanish performance using original songs, handmade instruments and playful audience participation to tell the story of Juanca, a young boy from Bolivia as he navigates big feelings like fear, courage and kindness with the help of his imagination — and a few friendly dinosaurs.

At all libraries in July is Bright Star Touring Theatre’s Dino Academy. Travel back millions of years in time for an action-packed prehistoric adventure with delightfully quirky paleontologist Dr. Sarah Tops as she opens the doors to her top-secret dinosaur facility and invites audiences to step into a world where science, storytelling and imagination collide.

Meanwhile, there’s more to unearth at the various libraries as Sigmon Theatrical returns with The Big Dino Show; Shepherd Shakespeare presents DinoShakes; Steve Somers Digs Into Reading; the NC Zoo, Ellie’s Exotic Road Show and Wild Tails NC visit with animal ambassadors; Matt Sandbank brings back his Shadow Factory Puppet Show; Dana Hill performs Presto Prehistoric Magic… and more!

For more information, call 336-318-6804.

Appearances by Luke Vandergriff and Bright Star Touring Theatre are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. The project receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.