Adult Summer Reading Program Continues In Tuckahoe

TUCKAHOE, N.Y. – Despite budget cuts limiting many programs at the Tuckahoe Public Library, one of the most popular and innovative initiatives, their adult summer reading game, is returning for an 11th straight year.

The annual summer reading game is designed to get adults reading different genres of books than they would normally pick out. This year’s theme is “Bet on a Book.” For each book that is completed, a raffle ticket will be given, to be part of a grand-prize raffle of gift baskets.

According to senior library clerk Charlotte Stupple, who helps organize and operate the game, participants will first read two books of their choosing, then play a game of “Plinko” – a game of chance made popular by the television show “The Price is Right” – to decide what genre they will read next.

“Registration is currently open, and you don’t have to read any amount of books,” she said. “If you finish seven books, you get a [smaller] prize, but some will read as many as 25 books – it just means more chances at the grand prize.”

Stupple said that Tuckahoe was one of the first libraries in the state to feature a summer reading program for adults. Although the library has seen its budget cut by 12 percent, there will still be several events for participants in the program.

At 12 p.m. on Thursday they will host “A Taste of Summer,” featuring a cooking demonstration and a food tasting of summer salads and smoothies. On Wednesday they will screen “The Vow,” and on Wednesday, July 25 they will see “Albert Nobbs,” each at 12:30 p.m. Their most popular event, the grand finale party, will be at 6 p.m. on Aug. 6.

“People get really into the last party. Everyone there will get a prize,” Stupple said. “It gives locals from all of lower Westchester a chance to interact and meet each other.”

Despite the fun and games of the prizes and events, the most important thing about the adult summer reading game is getting people out of their comfort zone and reading genres they wouldn’t normally consider picking. The books are handpicked and recommended by the library’s staff. This year’s genres include “movie to book, or book to movie,” “non-fiction mystery,” “memoirs or biographical,” “historical fiction,” and “classics.”

“The whole staff participates, and some go way out of their way to make it creative and fun,” Tuckahoe Public Library Director Swadesh Pachnanda said. “It gets people reading other things, and picking up books they never would have considered before.” 

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