The Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library will be blasting off into a universe of stories at the summer reading program kickoff, set for May 20 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the library.

The kickoff party will feature Freedom Ranch Outreach and their wildlife ambassadors, said children’s librarian Megan Nix Miller. Freedom Ranch houses birds of prey that have been rescued and rehabilitated, but can no longer live in the wild, Miller said.

A chicken dinner will be served, and event goers are asked to register for the free event on the library website or Facebook page, she said.

The summer reading program rewards children with small prizes for setting and meeting reading goals during the summer, and offers biweekly library events, Miller said.

“Kids will get out (of school) in the end of May and they won’t touch a book until the end of August,” Miller said.

Children lose reading and comprehension skills when they do not read over the summer months, she said. During last year’s summer reading program, kids spent over 1,000 hours reading, Miller said.

The summer reading program begins June 4 and runs for 6 weeks, Miller said. On Tuesdays, children in grades one through six can see presentations at the library from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., she said. The same presenters will be at the Poplarville Public Library on Thursdays from June 6 to July 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This summer’s presenters include a herpetologist, a NASA representative and the Picayune High School Robotics team, Miller said. The majority of presenters are donating their time, she said.

On Fridays from June 7 to July 12, kids from 3 to 6 years old can come to the Memorial Library to read stories, sing songs and complete craft projects, Miller said.

The library received a $1,000 Margaret Murray Grant from the Mississippi Library Commission, which is funding their summer reading program events, Miller said.

The library is looking for teenagers who want to volunteer to help with the summer reading program, Miller said.