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CBS 3 Meteorologist Kicks Off Summer Reading Program With Free Library Of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – CBS 3 Meteorologist Kate Bilo, a voracious reader who annually sets a personal goal to read 100 books, is partnering with the Free Library of Philadelphia as Champion of its Summer Reading Program. Bilo kicked off the first week of the program today by reading to children at the Torresdale Library on Holme Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia.

Bilo, the mother of two young boys, says she got involved with the Summer Reading program in hopes that she can spark a lifelong passion for reading in others. "Books are what I always come back to when I want to relax, be alone and recharge. I firmly believe that if children develop a love of books, they will be 'forever readers' and will be able to enjoy that pastime for the rest of their lives."

Bilo will be supporting the program with readings at several local branches this summer and public service announcements on CBS 3 and The CW Philly.

The Free Library's long-running Summer Reading program has issued a special challenge to participants this year to collectively read a whopping total of 20 million minutes over the course of the program! The Challenge takes place today through August 9th. Students from preschool through sixth grade can keep track of their reading progress with a special Summer Reading game board and participate in fun programming, including hands-on science experiments, literacy-based craft workshops, and just-for-kids book clubs. The Free Library is also offering a special Summer Reading programming for teens, including juggling lessons, gaming tournaments, creative writing workshops and more. In addition to the Summer Reading programming taking place throughout the Free Library system, Online Summer Reading runs now through August 31st.

For more information about the Summer Reading program and a list of Kate Bilo's favorite children's books, go to www.CBSPhilly.com

CBS 3 (KYW-TV) is part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation. The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than 6 million visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.

Here's a list of Kate's recommended reading:

Books I love to read to my kids:

Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields
The Book that Eats People by John Perry
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Goodnight iPad by Ann Droyd
How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Regan
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
We're Going on A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Books I loved when I was a kid (and still love!):

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin

For more information, visit: www.freelibrary.org/summerreading

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