The Selma Times-Journal

Selma&8217;s youth could get lost in a book this summer.

To help them open up their imaginations, hundreds of free books will be given away during Reading is Fun Days. The free, four-day event will kick off at 10 a.m. Monday at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center.

There will also be puppet shows, a fun house and giveaways. Parents, teachers and members of the community are encouraged to bring a child.

AKA member and retired librarian media specialist Nancy Sewell knows first hand the importance of the event.

The mobile event will make stops at the Selma-Dallas County YMCA, Brown YMCA, Rangedale Neighborhood Center and Selma Youth Development Center. More than 500 books will go to pre-K to 12th grade students.

The local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha is sponsoring the event through a partnership with AmeriCorps, a community service organization, and city and county officials.

Eight-year-old Kinsley Mott needs little motivation to make it to the library. She and her mother, Amy Mott Johnston, come to the Selma-Dallas County Public Library every Tuesday. One of the books they chose this week was &8220;Granddad&8217;s Prayer of the Earth&8221; by Douglas Wood &8212; one she can get her grandfather to read to her.

Some special guests will help facilitate the event &8212; cartoon and book characters Franklin, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George and the Big Green Monster.

Prize-winning children&8217;s author Emmett H. Wood, who wrote &8220;The Black Frog,&8221; will also be there. After he gives a short lecture, copies of his book will be given away.

Illustrator Phyllis Parks will give a lecture on illustration.

Becky Nichols, library director, thinks the RIF event is a wonderful thing.

She believes books are everything.

Nivory Gordon, like Mott, likes adventurous books and books about cooking. He loves books so much, he volunteers at the public library. It&8217;s his &8220;most favorite place in all of Selma to come.&8221;

Schedule or Reading is Fun Days:

Selma-Dallas County YMCA, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Brown YMCA, 2 to 4 p.m.

Rangedale Community Center, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.