Ceremonies Held for Summer Reading Achievers
• Top Achiever A 5-Year-Old Who Read 339 Books
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by NJHometown |
Five-year-old Kathryn Radcliffe is surrounded by her admirers (l-r) Nutley Library Director Sarah Lester, her mother Fawn Radcliffe, and Barbara Hirsch, president of the Friends of the Nutley Library.
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by NJHometown |
Other top summer book readers at the Nutley Public Library are pictured here. Overall, a total of 5,474 books had been read by the youngsters as of Friday, Oct. 12. Although the "contest" has ended, nearly all the young people plan to continue reading several books a week right up until the opening day of school.
Aug 13, 2011 – Five-year-old Kathryn Radcliffe this summer has read 339 books – a total that captured the top prize in the Nutley Public Library's summer reading awards program that commended more than 100 youngsters in ceremonies Friday afternoon.
Overall all, the children aged two to nine years read a total of 5,474 books but no one individually came close to five-year-old Kathryn's achievement. The youngster hasn't yet entered kindergarten and already is reading between a fourth and fifth grade level.
Kathryn is a member of her family's fourth generation of voracious readers. Her dad, Robert, won first place 48 years ago in an elementary school contest and her mother, Fawn, was on the high school Library Council for all four years.
Young Kathryn's advanced reading skills have been showcased at William Paterson University. She was invited to read to her five-year-old peers in their University Learning Center last spring.
Overall, the young readers taking part in this summer's Nutley Library program for children aged 2 through 8 years have read a total of 5,474 books. The top readers were introduced at yesterday's celebration by Nutley Librarian Sarah Lester and Barbara Hirsch, president of the Friends of the Nutley Library. Anthony J. Iannarone, library president, also witnessed the awards.
Among eight-year-olds, honors went to Molly Herschell who read 87 books, Marissa Catalano, 85 books, and Isabella Guzman, 67 books.
Alexis Richard read 155 books to finish first among 3-7 year olds. Vincenzo Vizutto with 110 books and Matthew Ferlong, 73 books, took second and third prize.
"Baby and Me," for youngsters up to the age of two years, honored Matthew Richard who completed 155 books, Jake Bergner with 150 and Ransom Ferry, 110 books.
A "book" is defined in the program as a children's "chapter book."
As for five-year-old Kathryn, the reading contest at the library may be over, but she went home yesterday carrying a handful of new books.
"She loves all kinds of mystery books," Kathryn's mom said. "Her favorites are Nancy Drew mysteries but she also likes the American Girl collection and the Magic Tree House series. At any one time, young Kathryn has at least 60 books at home from the Nutley Public Library.
