A table inside KCPL's North-East Branch, which offers information — and a sign-up sheet — for the 2025 summer reading program. | Photo by Julia Williams

Adriauna Barger

Editorial Assistant

The Kansas City Public Library (KCPL) launched its “Color Our World” summer reading program with a  celebration on Saturday, June 7 at its North-East Branch (6000 Wilson Ave.), featuring food, activities, community entertainment and a downpour.

“Color Our World really got to the sense of all the joy and color that reading can bring to people’s lives,” said Anna Bernard, KCPL media relations and communications specialist. “It’s exciting that there’s a metro-wide focus on ‘Color Our World.’ We’re all embracing the fun of reading together.”

This theme — developed by the National Collaborative Summer Library Program — has been embraced not only by KCPL but also surrounding systems like Johnson County and Mid-Continent, creating a metro-wide celebration of books and imagination. 

That spirit of creativity has helped the summer reading program grow year after year, not just in size, but in significance. Last summer, Bernard shared that the library registered 15,114 participants who read a total of 26,397 books.

“Each year, we’ve registered more people and have seen them read more books,” Bernard said. “We definitely want to keep that momentum going.”

For young readers, KCPL staff shared that the summer reading program plays a crucial role in maintaining literacy skills during the long break from school.

“Reading for fun is so important for kids to maintain their skills while school is out,” explained Bernard. “It helps keep their momentum going from what they learned during the school year.”

That motivation is what educators often call the “summer slide”—  a learning loss, which can happen when a student goes several weeks without engaging in academic activities. The summer reading program aims to counter that, not by assigning homework or required reading, but by making books and literacy exciting, relevant and rewarding.

“We’re not concerned with what kids are reading,” said Bernard. “Whether it’s a graphic novel, a book about animals or something entirely fictional. What matters is that they’re enjoying the experience. That joy is what keeps their reading skills sharp and helps them see books as something to love, not something only tied to school.”

The program’s emphasis on pleasure-driven reading offers a crucial bridge between classroom learning and summertime freedom. By allowing children to explore stories on their own terms, the library is fostering lifelong reading habits and creating positive associations with learning.

Irma Reyes, a youth librarian at the North-East Branch, echoed that message.

“We have a lot of kids who don’t have access to camps or structured summer activities,” said Reyes. “Not every family can afford programs that keep kids engaged during the break. That’s why what we do at the library matters so much. We offer a space where learning can still happen in a fun, hands-on way.

By combining accessible programming, hands-on experiences and a free book for every participant, KCPL is working to level the playing field, and the response shows.

This year’s summer reading initiative isn’t about just picking up a book. It’s a full-on celebration of learning and community.

The festivities officially began with an outdoor colorful kickoff event — originally scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, June 7 — however, this event wrapped up about 30 minutes early due to heavy rain at the North-East Branch.

Families were met with a carnival-like atmosphere featuring games, crafts, a taco truck offering free food, fresh produce from Kanbe’s Market and interactive stations like mini soccer, painting and giant bubbles for kids.

Local organizations such as Mattie Rhodes Center — a nonprofit organization, which provides programs that build social cohesion, promote economic stability and develop access to education, healthcare and affordable housing — were on-site, helping families connect with valuable resources.

Beyond the kickoff, the library is hosting dozens of events throughout the summer including drawing club on Monday, June 9, art camp on Tuesday, June 10 and so many more.

Reyes shared that her involvement with the summer reading program goes beyond her day-to-day roles at the North-East Branch. This year, she served on the book selection committee.

“At our branch alone, we received over 800 books this year,” she said. “I was a part of the selection committee last year and now this year, and this time I was tasked with choosing multilingual titles in Spanish, Somali, Arabic and Haitian Creole.”

For Reyes, curating a diverse and inclusive collection was especially meaningful.

“I love reading and I love books, so I’m just super excited to have so many to give away,” Reyes shared. “It feels kind of boundless right now.”

KCPL feels that including multilingual books in its summer reading program is essential for both inclusivity and literacy development.

In a city as diverse as Kansas City, particularly in neighborhoods like those served by the North-East Branch, many children come from households where English is not the primary language. 

Offering books in Spanish, Somali, Arabic, Haitian Creole and other languages works to ensure that these children feel seen, supported and welcomed in the library space.

The KCPL 2025 Summer Reading Program, themed “Color Our World,” brings together a wide range of free events, educational opportunities and community engagement efforts for readers of all ages.

For more information about the summer reading program or to sign up visit https://kclibrary.org/reading-programs/summer/2025 or any KCPL library location.