PROGRAMS TO COMPLEMENT KIDS' READING.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Local libraries are doing their part to keep kids in the learning mode over summer vacation.

Sierra Vista Junior High School will present two programs Aug. 6 with speakers related to required reading for incoming seventh- and eighth- graders at the Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library.

At 2 p.m., Phil Shigekuni, who lived at two Japanese-American internment camps during World War II, will speak about his experience, which will help eighth-grade students understand the characters and background of Graham Salisbury's ``Under the Blood Red Sun.''

After Shigekuni's presentation, Min-seo Son, a doctoral candidate in Korean history at the University of California, Los Angeles, will tell the children about the culture and history of Korea, helping students better understand the character of Tree-ear from Linda Sue Park's ``A Single Shard.''

At the Valencia library, programs are centered around popular literature rather than based on specific curriculum requirements.

``We love to have children in the library building and continuing a love for books,'' said Valencia children's librarian Jocelyn Mullen. ``Whatever we can do to get families and children in here, we'll do.''

Valencia library programs include a graphic novel program at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, at which children will make their own comic books; the ``Star Wars'' series will be explored July 26 during a Jedi Master program, during which young readers will be able to participate in a trivia contest and build their own lightsabers.

On Aug. 2, the release of ``Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' will be celebrated with an event full of mystery and adventure, centered around the new installment in the J.K. Rowling series.

Mullen said tickets for each of the events are available the Thursday before the presentation, as each is limited to 100 participants. Admission to all library programs is free.

First-graders at Newhall Elementary School took a field trip to the library just before summer to familiarize themselves with books that will keep them sharp over the summer.

``All of them got their library cards and many of them signed up for the summer reading program, which is taking place at all the county libraries,'' said librarian Judy Hist. ``We talked about books that they could read over the summer, so they can go into second grade reading at that level.''

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said in a press release that it is important to engage students in reading activities over school breaks.

``During a long summer vacation, kids can sometimes lose interest in learning, causing them to fall behind when school resumes in the fall,'' he said, adding that the state Department of Education has two interactive databases in which parents can look up books suitable for every grade level.

At www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/ll/ap/litsearch/asp, parents can search using a variety of criteria, such as language, culture and relation to curriculum. Parents can also tailor their children's reading to standardized testing by accessing the California Reading List at www.cde.ca.gov.16552.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com