This year's Summer Reading theme focuses on games - video games, board games, and puzzles. The library has a variety of ways for you to Level Up at Your Library this summer, including fun events, weekly programs, and a summer-long reading contest.

Fun Events

Thursday, May 29 - Family Game Night @ 5-7 PM

Thursday, June 5 - Quincy Children's Museum visit @ 4:30-6 PM

Wednesday, August 13 - End-of-Summer-Reading Party @ 10 AM

Weekly Programs

Wednesdays at 10 AM for children 0-12 years old

June 4 - Ben Askew, a published children's book author/illustrator and a 2009 Central High School graduate will share about his process of creating.

June 11 - Popular children's book character Pete the Cat will be at the library sharing his newest release Pete the Cat Screams for Ice Cream! And yes, there will be ice cream.

June 18 - Julian Luaders, Illinois College Esports player from Fowler, IL will share about being a collegiate athlete in the field of esports.

June 25 - Jiu Jitsu Professor Scott Altgilbers from Midwest Jiu Jitsu will share about how you can level up through the ranks of this martial arts discipline.

July 2 - Gavin Ideus, John Wood Community College Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Instructor, will bring Zspace computers for the students to experiment with augmented and virtual reality.

July 9 - Led by Leonard Craft, who plays Pokemon tournaments semi-professionally around the country, and using games such as Pokémon Scarlet, students will catch Pokémon and learn about how their real-life equivalents live and interact with their environment.

July 16 - Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mike Mealiff will share about his time in the Air Force and how you can level up your skills, knowledge, and experiences through a career in the military.

July 23 - Brendan Shea from Quincy Community Theatre will bring a board game to life with some theatre antics.

July 30 - Have you ever wanted to design your own board/card game? Creative enthusiast, James Leslie, will share about different games he’s invented over the years and how you can bring your own ideas to life.

Reading Contest

Register for the library's summer reading contest, starting May 19. Read to earn tickets, passes, and coupons from local organizations and businesses throughout the summer and win fun prizes at the End-of-Summer-Reading Party in August. ALL AGES ARE INVITED TO PARTIPATE, KIDS AND ADULTS!

Reading Contest Guidelines

1. All books recorded on the reading log must be checked out from the Four Star Public Library.

2. Ebooks/Audiobooks checked out from Four Star’s digital libraries, Graphic Novels, and Interlibrary Loan books are allowed to be recorded on your books logs. Materials must be reflective of the participant’s reading level.

3. Children 0-5 years old can be read to and will receive a prize for every 10 books read to them. Kindergarten through 2nd graders who can read by themselves will receive a prize for every 10 easy books they read (older readers can help those who cannot yet read on their own). 3rd grade through 8th graders are expected to read chapter books and will receive a prize for every 5 chapter books they read. Participants must participate at their reading level.

4. Books may only be read once. Any books read before May 19, 2025 do not count.

5. Book logs must be turned in by 8:00 PM on or before Thursday, July 31 to be counted for the End-of-Summer-Reading party.