Pirates Party a big success for library

Sandra Knackstedt and Tricia Brown, also known as Captain Blackbeard and Captain Hook, host a Pirates Party at the Whitehouse Community Library in conjunction with the Summer Reading Program theme "Sail Away With Books." The children made their own pirate gear, such as eye patches and hats, and then enjoyed stories and a Reader's Theater performance of "The Pirates' Code."

Saturday, June 16 was a rainy day, but in spite of the weather, more children than could be counted plus their parents attended the Pirates Party at the Whitehouse Community Library. This kicked off the Texas Summer Reading Program. Although the rain prevented the scavenger/treasure hunt that was planned other activities took place.

The party began with children being registered for the "Sail Away with Books" Summer Reading Program. The children made pirate hats, colored a treasure map, constructed a telescope, and put on eye patches that were waiting for them.

Captain Blackbeard (library director Sandra Knackstedt) greeted everyone and encouraged them to put on their pirate gear for the rest of the program.

The captain explained the rules of the Summer Reading Program as she passed out bookmarks signed by the captain herself. The children listened as Blackbeard read three pirate stories, sang a pirate song with them and handed out pirate loot for the best singers.

Everyone participated in an interactive story and then the famous or infamous captains Hook (Tricia Brown), Long John Silver (Frances Bishop), Jack Rackham (Allison Fulcher) and the First Mate Smee (Debbie Fulcher) joined Captain Blackbeard in a presentation of the Reader's Theater performance of "The Pirates' Code."

After the presentation, refreshments of sea biscuits (vanilla sandwich cookies) and grog (lemonade) were served.

The last day to register for summer reading is June 30. Participants meet Wednesdays through July 25.

Meeting times for the summer reading program are designated by age: Sailors (age 3 to 6 years old) meet from 9:30- 10:15 a.m.; First Mates (age 7 to 10 years old), 10:30-11:15 a.m.; and Captains (age 11 to 14 years old), 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Frances Bishop as pirate Long John Silver.