Summer Reading Family Feature: The Millers at Canarsie Library

As Summer Reading 2018 comes to a close, we'd like to feature some all-star patrons who rocked it out with us this summer!

Meet the Millers from Canarsie Library

The Millers are very special patrons at the Canarsie Library.  Rayne and Gerard Miller, both originally from Grenada, now live in Canarsie with their two children, five-year-old Maisyn, and two-year-old Maliyah.  Rayne never had the opportunity to go to college, but wants the best for her kids.  She says, “Education is key.  You have to know how to read, write, and explain yourself.  It doesn’t matter the child’s age.  It’s a challenge, but reading is one of the things I encourage Maisyn to do.”  The Millers make learning and early literacy a priority, and they visit the library multiple times a week.

Rayne first brought Maisyn to the Canarsie Library when he was 6 months old.  She found the library staff warm and welcoming, and noticed the bulletin board had a lot of good information.  Rayne says, “as a young mom, being home with a kid, you want to get out of the house.  And go to a space where Maisyn can enjoy reading and other activities.”  Now, Rayne brings both Maisyn and Maliyah to participate in programs like Toddler Time, Reading is Fundamental, and Build with LEGO.  Maisyn began to learn how to write his own name by attending Ready, Set, Kindergarten!  According to Rayne, “After attending programs here, Maisyn got to pick his own books, and started to learn to read by himself - which he’s doing a lot.  Maisyn started RSK [Ready, Set, Kindergarten!] at a year old - it has made a drastic difference.”  At school, instead of bringing toys to show and tell, Maisyn started to bring books.  He also attended our Team Up to Read program series.  Maisyn learned how to pick out his own books, and notice punctuation.  If you ask him what an exclamation mark means, he will tell you enthusiastically, “It means strong emotion!”
 

The Millers make it a point to participate in Summer Reading at the library.  After participating with Maisyn last year, Rayne thought the Summer Reading Challenge was a great program.  At the end of the challenge, there is a reward, and the child looks forward to it.  The challenges also teach children to do a task from start to finish.  Rayne says, “The music theme this summer was the best…Maisyn, he likes music a lot.  So when I told him it was Books & Beats, he was so excited.”  Rayne, Maisyn and Maliyah attended the Summer Jam kickoff party, made musical shakers in a Kids Create program, and decorated their own album cover collages in a DIY session.

Not only did Maisyn complete all of the Summer Reading Challenge activities, but he also read many of the books listed on the Books & Beats booklists.  He worked diligently to fill out the reading log.  Rayne says, “The book selections were really good.  And I went through them all.  Let me tell you - even though there are age-appropriate books for each grade - we started giving him books with four chapters.  So he’s going ahead of his level!”  Of all the books he read, Maisyn’s favorite book was One Love by Cedella Marley (inspired by Bob Marley’s song One Love).  Maisyn says he checked it out three times “Because it’s my favorite song.  And my grandma likes it.”

Even though Maisyn waited to ask for a certificate until after he had completed the reading log, he was still the first patron at Canarsie Library to complete the challenge and receive a certificate.  Maisyn’s Summer Reading 2018 Certificate is now framed and hanging on the wall of his bedroom.  Congratulations on your achievements, Maisyn, and good luck in Kindergarten!

Have any special Summer Reading moments you'd like to share? Leave a comment below!