PILOT MOUNTAIN — The Charles H. Stone Memorial Library has announced the final three events left in its annual summer reading program.

The program returns after a brief hiatus for the July 4 holiday on Tuesday at 10 a.m. with the program “Dreams in the Stars.” A mobile spacelab planetarium will be set up at the library to allow children and parents to crawl under the inflatable dome to see representations of the stars in the night sky.

The folding spacelab is on loan from the Yadkin County Public library who shares the planetarium with other libraries in the Northwest Regional system.

On Wednesday, Johnston County science and biology teacher and former planetarium coordinator Lanette Phillips will be giving presentations on “What the Indians saw in their stars” at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“Indians referred to some constellations as different characters than we do,” explained Children’s Librarian Sandy Phillips. “Mostly they named the stars after earthly things such as the bear.” Phillips said the summer reading program “stays busy” and has been popular since it was started at the library 13 years ago. She estimates that between 250 and 300 children participate. The library’s teen reading program started six years ago.

Local Yoga instructor Diane Blakemoore will hold yoga classes for children 5 years and younger on July 17 at the library. The starting time for this has been set for 10 a.m.

On July 18 at 10 a.m., “Amazing Teacher: Dare to Dream” will be staged by Steve Somers, who will use magic to teach participants about the power of dreams.

Other events include a dream big pot luck party for small children at 10 a.m. on July 24 and reading contest awards will be announced on July 25 at 10 a.m. First place in this competition for the most books read is $25, second place is a $15 prize and third is $10. A lock-in for teen participants has been set for July 25 from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and a night party for “tweens” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.

According to Phillips, the “Tween” group also will make a banner around the theme of “My Own Dreams.” The goal of the banner is to allow participants to express their dreams on the banner that will be displayed at the library. This is part of the “My Own Dreams” project.

“We have an ambitious schedule, but that’s what we do,” said Phillips. “It gives the kids something to do and keeps them reading. She credited the work of Assistant Librarian Dewey Sturdivant and Head Librarian Anna Nichols with keeping many older children interested in reading.

Phillips said she particularly enjoys that she has been involved with the program so long that former participants are bringing their children back to the program.

“Now I’ve wound up having their kids,” said Phillips. “When I started with the school system 11 years before working with the library, Principal Herman Griffith couldn’t get the children to stop calling me Miss Sandy. The name stuck and I still hear it.”

Reach David Broyles at dbroyles@heartlandpublications.com or719-1952.