Hillsboro Public Library kicks off reading program

On Monday, June 20, the Hillsboro Public Library Summer Reading Program ?Open a Book, Open the World? began with a presentation from Janis Kelsick, who shared her adventures as an illustrator.

Kelsick, who lives in rural Hillsboro, illustrated the book Annabelle?s Amazing Discovery, written by Ron Deen, who at the time was a Ft. Madison prison guard. She described her adventure as an illustrator as something she, by chance, happened to get to do. She drew the pictures with ink and colored with watercolor on a short deadline. She explained the story behind the book, who Annabelle was and the cat.

Kelsick brought some of her rough drawings from the book and let each patron have one with an autograph, if they wished. The door prize was a copy of Annabelle?s Amazing Discovery autographed by the author and illustrator. The patron who won the book was Irene Hoaglin of Hillsboro.

After the presentation, 20 patrons signed up for the Summer Reading Program. Each person received a passport to log the books they read, a suitcase of their itinerary or list of activities they will accomplish on their travels and a bag with a pencil, book mark and recipe cards.

The person who earns the most points from the two age groups will win an MP3 player. Prizes for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on, will be Fun City gift cards and coupons from local restaurants.

Due to the generosity of Breuer Wrecker Service and Dairy Queen in Mt. Pleasant, every participant who turns in their passports and suitcase will receive a coupon for a junior ice cream cone from Dairy Queen in Mt. Pleasant.