2026 SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM

Packs contain books, music suggestions, finger plays, art, and math & science activities that bolster those five vital early literacy practices: read, sing, talk, play & write!

For ages 0-6. Pick up while supplies last. Library card required to check out accompanying books.

Supplies to create art like watercolor dinosaur sunsets, shadow flowers, watermelon mosaics & beautiful printed garden banners.

Geared for school-age children (6ish-11ish). No library card required.

June 15: Soil Painting
June 22: Garden Suncatchers
June 29: Dinosaur Sunsets

July 6: Heart-shaped Pebbles
July 13: Wild Weaving
July 20: Dragonfly Hues
July 27: Breezy Backyard Banners

Aug 3: Shadow Flowers
Aug 10: Loopy Blooms
Aug 17: Watermelon Mosaics

Terrific art projects like pet rock cacti, watercolor pinwheels and pom-pom magnets.

Pick up while supplies last. No library card required.

June 15: Pet Rock Cacti
June 22: Doodle Weaving
June 29: Watercolor Pinwheels

July 6: DIY Squishy
July 13: Personalized Mug
July 20: Sun Collage
July 27: Paracord Snakes

Aug 3: Frame Remix
Aug 10: Pom Pom Keychain
Aug 17: Ocean Hues

Bring the family or meet up with friends for our weekly game night. All your favorites are here: Battleship, Chutes & Ladders, Old Maid and Go Fish, and lots more. Bring drinks and we’ll serve the popcorn. Pick a spot anywhere in the library to play—and make Mondays something to look forward to!

Wednesdays, June 10-July 15* • 6:15 PM or
Thursdays, June 11-July 16* • 10:15 AM

For babies 0-18 months & caregivers. Share nursery rhymes, songs & books. Plus, free time for play! Call to register.

*No classes July 1 & 2.

Stories, movement & learning! Geared for preschoolers but children of all ages welcome. Afterward, stay for process art & other hands-on activities.

*No Story Time June 30.

A brand-new summer conundrum is stirring beneath your feet. Clues lie scattered. Puzzles wait to be cracked. If you and your crew have what it takes, secrets won’t stay buried for long. Receive a series of six puzzle packets sending you out to hidden corners and familiar haunts across Our Fair City.

Start your dig at the library’s front desk. The citizens are counting on you.

Wednesday, June 17, July 22 & Aug 5 • 2:00 PM

Prepare to get your hands dirty with hands-on exploration, art and more!

The MCHS brings the museum to the library: hands-on play with rolling hoops, cup-and-ball, whimmy-diddles, graces, and more! Along the way dig into the strategies behind each game and the physics hiding in the toys. There’s even time to talk about how people used resources, why we play, and how life today compares to the past.

 Presented by the Manitowoc County Historical Society.

Gather on the library lawn for a rip-roarin’ good time with Tom Pease. His high-energy show gets the whole crowd moving—singing, dancing, clapping, and LAUGHING. You can bring chairs and blankets—but you probably won’t be sitting still for long. Bring your belly button, too. 

Get ready to level up your skills! Trainers —whether seasoned battlers or just getting started—are invited to join our monthly Pokémon Club. Play the card game, meet fellow fans, and dive into fun themed activities. Come catch the excitement! 

For ages 8-12.

Wednesday, July 8 • 5:30-8:00 PM

STEAM activities for kids and families, brought to you by local robotics teams and community organizations like the Lester Public Library. Explore interactive exhibits, build and experiment, watch live robot demonstrations and discover the power of STEAM in your community. Enter drawings for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Free and open to the public.

The center is located at 2814 Wollmer St., Manitowoc.

Grab a bowl of cereal and dive into great series all summer long—swap favorites, discover new reads, and get creative with a fun hands-on project at each session.

Parents are welcome to join the fun or explore the library during the meeting. Grades 4-6.

Head outside for a hands-on nature adventure! Explore the wetland, squish some mud pies, paint rocks, and dig into sandy fun. It’s the perfect mix of creativity, curiosity, and getting a little messy.

Zander Park is located at 1406 Parkway Blvd. in Two Rivers.

For children 18 months-3 years & caregivers. Toddlers need to MOVE to learn! Active storytelling, engaging play & music. Call to register. *No evening class July 29 and no morning or evening classes Aug. 12.

Call 920.793.8888 to register!

Step into the 19th century—no time machine required—to become history detectives. Examine a collection of curious and everyday objects to uncover how people solved problems and invented tools to fit their world. Along the way, compare past and present, discovering just how far technology has come—and how creativity has always led the way.

 Presented by the Manitowoc County Historical Society.

Brats, burgers, ‘dogs & drinks. We deliver to Two Rivers businesses and city departments, too! Proceeds help build community health & early literacy.

The MESSIEST, most COLORFUL fun of summer: BIG painting & FOAM! Bring towels. Swimsuits and goggles? A-OK. Fuel up before the frenzy at the BRAT FRY. Art Splashers can’t go inside the library once the MESSY begins—so plan accordingly.

A brand-new summer conundrum is stirring beneath your feet. Clues lie scattered. Puzzles wait to be cracked. If you and your crew have what it takes, secrets won’t stay buried for long. Receive a series of six puzzle packets sending you out to hidden corners and familiar haunts across Our Fair City.

Start your dig at the library’s front desk. The citizens are counting on you.

Tuesdays, June 2 & 16; July 7 & 21; Aug 4 & 18

5:30-7:30 PM

Anime and manga fans: Watch anime, talk about favorite series, do creative projects—and SNACK of course! Action, romance, slice-of-life…there’s something for everyone. For teens in Grades 6-12.

Choose a beautiful rock from our collection or bring your own and turn it into a unique piece of jewelry. All supplies provided. Snacks and a rousing game of Capture the Flag after the library closes. Grades 6-12.

Call 920.793.8888 to register.

Design your own water bottle—we’ve got all the supplies, you bring the style. Then head out for a short walk, swing by McDonald’s for ice cream, and stroll back to the library as the light fades. We’ll wrap up the night with a high-energy game of Ghost in the Graveyard—because what’s better than a little chaos after dark? Grades 6-12.

Call 920.793.8888 to register.

Wear a white t-shirt and get colorfully foam-bombed! Snack and hang out on the library lawn. We are NOT going in the library after. Bring a towel and prepare to be stained. Grades 6-12.

Call 920.793.8888 to register.

Meet to discuss books of different genres on the first Monday of each month. New members always welcome!

June 1: A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson (mystery)
Martha Ratliff, a content librarian in Maine, never expected to marry—until she met Alan, a charming traveling salesman who brightened her quiet life. A year in, everything seems perfect—until she finds blood on one of his shirts. As doubts surface, Martha faces the terrifying possibility that the man she loves isn’t who he seems.

July 6: Not Left to Tell by Noelle W. Ihli (western)
In a remote frontier town divided by fear and faith, three women find their lives intertwined by survival and sacrifice. Lucy has already watched her family and friends driven out for their beliefs, but when her son becomes the next target, she refuses to back down. Katrina hopes a cross-country move will bring her family peace, but a fresh start proves more dangerous than she imagined. And young Sally, forced into marriage and drawn into a world of fanaticism, must decide where her true loyalties lie—even if it costs her everything.

August 3: The Judgement of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum (young adult)
Yoyo Gold has always played the role of the perfect Jewish daughter. But when she sees her best friend cast out of the community over a seemingly innocent transgression, Yoyo’s eyes are opened to the truth of her neighbors’ hypocrisies. As her frustration builds, so does the need to speak out, even if only anonymously on TikTok. But when one of her videos goes viral, she is forced to choose which path to take—for her community, her family, and herself.

About the club: Read a book and create art it inspires. Meet to share impressions of the written work, show your art and describe your creative process. New members always welcome!

June 27: Mimi Gets a Clue by Jennifer J. Chow
Mimi Lee has just launched her L.A. pet grooming business, Hollywoof, while juggling a meddling mom, demanding clients, and a talking cat named Marshmallow. When Marshmallow tips her off to a shady breeder, Mimi confronts him—only for him to turn up dead, with Mimi as the prime suspect. To clear her name, she teams up with her lawyer neighbor and her sharp-tongued feline to uncover the truth before her new venture—and her freedom—go up in smoke.

August 22: The Martha Vineyard’s Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly
In 2016, 34-year-old Mari Starwood travels from California to Martha’s Vineyard, grieving her mother’s death and searching for answers about her family’s past. Her only clue is the name of reclusive painter Elizabeth Devereaux. When Mari arrives at Devereaux’s coastal home under the pretense of taking a painting class, the older woman begins sharing a story from 1942 about two sisters who once lived on the same land. During World War II, Cadence and Briar Smith struggle to keep their family farm running as soldiers arrive and rumors swirl of enemy submarines offshore. Cadence finds unexpected love, while Briar’s fears of invasion grow. Together with her friend Bess, Cadence forms a book club that brings their small island community together in uncertain times. As the past and present intertwine, Mari uncovers long-buried secrets that connect her own family to the women who came before her.

Spanish and English speakers: learn or improve skills in the other language! Instruction based on the sandwich technique of pronunciation, conversation & grammar.

No registration. Presented by Woods Outreach.

Aprender inglés con el enfoque en la pronunciación, la gramática, y la conversación. No requiere registrarse, y es completamente gratuita. Ofrecida por Woods Outreach.

Watch a recently released feature film on our big screen. Bring a beverage and we’ll furnish the popcorn.

Enjoy award-winning films from other cultures. Bring a beverage; we’ll furnish the popcorn. 

June 17: Slow

July 15: Afire

Aug 19: The Teachers’ Lounge

You made it through another Monday! Take a beat after a busy day or before tackling dinner and gather by the fireplace for a 15 to 20-minute guided meditation session. All ages welcome, though children under 12 need an accompanying grownup. If the weather is nice, we’ll move outdoors!

Knitters and crocheters: Convene weekly for convivial crafting! Adults (and teens) can bring their own projects, supplies and beverages and spend an evening together at the fireplace. And happy news for those who’ve always wanted to learn: basic instruction is offered along with friendly encouragement.

For ages 16+. Press “pause” and pamper yourself with a little peace. Gather, enjoy music, and indulge in a simple activity—coloring, painting, dot-to-dot drawing, sticker mosaics or diamond painting. We’ll furnish all the supplies for these calming crafts; just bring yourself and a beverage. No registration required.

• Monday, June 29 • 6:00-7:30 PM
• Saturday, July 25 • 10:15-noon
• Monday, Aug 17 • 6:00-7:30 PM

Part 1: Design & Resist

Thursday, July 16 • 5:00-7:00 PM

Use glue to create intentional designs on your bandana, forming resist patterns that will emerge during dyeing.

Part 2: Dye & Reveal

Saturday, July 18 • 10:30 AM

Complete the process: dye your bandana and reveal the patterns created Thursday.

Attendance at both sessions required. Call 920.793.8888 to register. Ages 18+

Turn petals into pigment and leaves into art. Pound fresh botanicals into a small cloth drawstring bag and watch nature leave its wild, beautiful mark. Bonus: As you swing that hammer, channel that moment your husband showed up at a social event wearing black socks with sandals—and you had to stand there smiling.

Registration required; call 920.793.8888.  Ages 18+