IndyPL readers select favorite kids book

(SUBMITTED PHOTO) Brett Gastineau and daughter Erin celebrate their participation in the Indianapolis Public Library’s 2019 summer reading program at the Garfield Park branch.

(SUBMITTED PHOTO) Booker, the Indianapolis Public Library’s mascot, gets a high-five from a young fan during the recent library night for an Indianapolis Indians baseball game at Victory Field. The game and celebration was the culminating event of the summer reading program.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of The Indianapolis Public Library’s summer reading program, program participants have selected the internationally-bestselling Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey as their favorite kids’ book from the past 100 years.

Dog Man received the most votes as “Indy’s Favorite Book” from a list of 20 books or series that were nominated community-wide as part of this year’s theme, “Keepin’ it 100.”

Dog Man, a comedic series about a part-dog part-man police officer published in the last four years, was followed in the voting by the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and We Are in a Book by Mo Willems. Nearly 10,000 total votes were cast.

Preliminary totals show more than 46,000 children read 860,171 books during the eight-week program.  Readers were rewarded with points exchanged for books, prizes and activity passes from community partners. Participants also received points for sharing summer reading memories or a keepsake from a past program.

Readership increased compared to 2018 at the Southport branch, up 10 percent, and the Beech Grove branch, up seven percent.

Youth and teen workshops and films related to the summer reading theme attracted more than 20,000 attendees.

Registered readers were eligible for a drawing to win two college savings accounts. Participants from each IndyPL location will be chosen to receive tickets to a Colts home game.

The 100th annual summer reading program was presented by Friends of the Library through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. The presenting sponsor was OneAmerica with several major and supporting sponsors plus special book donors.