Readers soar to new heights

Library-goers who pulled their noses from their books and squinted into the sun saw a rainbow sky of colors.

Library-goers who pulled their noses from their books and squinted into the sun saw a rainbow sky of colors.

Exactly 189 children and 77 adults made and flew kites on July 1 as part of the summer reading program at the Sequim branch.

Robert and Jeani Schwenk, kite enthusiasts and owners of School of the Wind in Bothell, led a brief history lesson on kite-making and instructed children and adults on how to make their own kite.

Children were given two sticks, a plastic kite cutout, tape, a kite tail and string before they went outside to fly their kites. Animals, designs and names were written and drawn on many of the kites.

Patti Swingle, children’s service coordinator for the

Sequim Branch, was surprised by the results.

"We weren’t expecting this many people," she said.

"(Robert) did a real good job of pulling it off and making it easy for everyone to be able to do."

The Schwenks normally teach classes of fewer than 30 children, so the large group size was surprising to them.

"We are always up for a challenge," Jeani Schwenk said.

"It’s worth it to see kids make and fly their own kites because it’s amazing."

"Kites are something people of all ages can do and enjoy," Swingle said.

The library’s Summer Reading Program continues through Friday, Aug. 21. Children can sign up at the library any time during the summer.

The Sequim Library is at 630 N. Sequim Ave.

For more information about the library call 683-1161, or go online to www.nols.org and click "Kids & Teens" then "For Kids" and "Summer Reading Program."