The upcoming start of the new school year also marked the end of the Morton Grove Public Library’s summer reading program, and a lawn party was held Saturday that celebrated both.

The event was open to all the summer reading program members, and dozens of kids came out to take in the sun, water activities and have ice cream to celebrate their reading achievements. Many participants wore their official summer reading program tie-dyed T-shirts given at earlier reading program celebrations.

Since the end of school, Courtney Schroeder, the youth services manager, has overseen hundreds of kids — and their families — participate in diving into the written word with both books and outdoor activities.

The reading series kicked off in early June with a block party complete with live music, face painting and games, and prizes for readers who achieved their goals. The very first prize was an official reading program shirt and then, in July, participants tie dyed those shirts.

Whether it’s the reading that hooks the kids, the prizes, the activities or what, Schroeder said she isn’t sure, but something is working.

“If they work toward something and work toward a goal, I think a lot of families appreciate that,” she said.

Local mom Kate Miller said her daughter, Molly, enjoyed charting the progress.

“She loved it,” Miller said about her daughter.

And, as a mom, she explained that she appreciated how the program kept her daughter reading 20 minutes per day, five days a week. And, of course, the trips to the library to see her friends helped.

“We love the library and it’s a place where she’s having fun and meeting people,” said Miller.

The summer reading program is open to any child, from birth to eighth grade, so Schroeder said the activities can offer a chance for school friends to stay in touch when school is out.

Summer reading programs have long been mainstays of local libraries but the Morton Grove library’s outdoor offerings — from the block party kickoff to the lawn party wrap up — are in large part due to the changing use of the space from the pandemic five years ago. Back then, when indoor gatherings were limited, the library wanted to remain a meeting point for the community. So, the porch music series was born and continues monthly to this day. It is open to anyone.

“It started during COVID. We didn’t have any outdoor programs before COVID,” Schroeder said.

The reading program is something for kids and adults.

“Last year, this is what we came up with, a celebration on the lawn to end the summer reading program. The block party is crazy and its 500 people and its nuts,” Schroeder said. “This is a lot more subdued and it’s a celebration of parents and reading. Because parents deserve a treat, too. The ice cream isn’t just for the kids.”

Jesse Wright is a freelancer.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/05/morton-grove-library-summer-reading-ends/