Dinosaurs, magic, music, art, adventure—and books galore—are stomping into the library this summer! Harris County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program invites readers of all ages, from babies to grandparents, to dig into an unforgettable season of fun with the theme Unearth a Story.
Along with exciting reading challenges and prizes, families can explore live performances, children’s theater, hands-on art camps, dazzling magic shows, and much more. Best of all, summer reading helps kids keep their reading skills strong while discovering that books aren’t homework—they’re treasure maps to worlds waiting to be uncovered.
SUMMER READING KICK-OFF EVENTS
Get your summer of reading and fun off to a great start with these kick-off events
Event Listings: Kick-Off Events
THEATER
Books Alive: From Page to Stage presents The Ballerina with Webbed Feet
Books Alive! transforms beloved children’s books into fully staged, 45-minute original musicals that honor the heart of each story while inspiring a lifelong love of reading. Performed by a professional touring troupe, these productions are often a child’s first live theater experience.
The Ballerina with Webbed Feet is the story of Pattie Patty, a duck who dreams of becoming a ballerina. But can a duck really dance? Through determination, friendship, and self-discovery, she learns what it truly means to belong and to be herself.
Events Listings: The Ballerina with Webbed Feet
Bright Star Theatre presents Dino Academy
Step into the prehistoric world with Bright Star Theater's Dino Academy! Led by the quirky and curious Dr. Sarah Tops, this action-packed adventure uncovers fascinating dinosaur facts that will wow even the biggest dinosaur fans. Featuring life-like, colorful dinosaur puppets that stomp, roar, and charm their way into every heart, this show blends science, storytelling, and imagination in the style of your favorite nature programs. It’s an unforgettable field trip through time—without ever leaving your seat! This program is best for kids in kindergarten to 5th grade.
Bright Star Theatre is a national touring theatre company. Its mission is simple: to challenge, engage, and delight audiences all over the world.
Express Children's Theater presents Shyrana Saurus Rex
A bashful dinosaur enlists her friends and the audience to help her overcome her shyness and find her voice just in time for the annual Dino Day Talent Show. Her friend, Thunder Roar Rex, discovers that he doesn't need to be loud to feel good about himself, and Bobby the beat-boxing Brontosaurus realizes that he doesn't need to have all the answers all the time. Together, they learn how to work as a team to put on a great talent show. Through highly interactive exchanges between the actors and the audience, everyone learns the importance of finding courage, building confidence, and overcoming personal obstacles with a little help and encouragement from others.
Express Children's Theatre is Houston’s oldest and largest multicultural performing arts and education organization dedicated to children and families.
Events Listings: Shyrana Saurus Rex
Houston Grand Opera presents Storybook Opera
Storybook Opera will present a variety of performances at HCPL branches this summer, including bilingual productions of Fairy Tales, Armadillo's Dream, Opera Cat, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
HGO's Storybook Opera brings children’s books to life through song, as HGO teaching artists present an engaging and enjoyable introduction to opera for children in pre-K through 2nd grade.
Events Listings: Storybook Opera
MAGIC & MORE
Robb Holladay's Magical Balloon Show
Step into a world where laughter, imagination, and colorful creations come to life! The Magical Balloon Show isn’t just entertainment—it’s an unforgettable experience for kids and families alike.
Events Listing: Robb Holladay, Magical Balloon Show
Tommy Terrific presents A Magical Dinosaur Dig
This interactive magic show features a giant magic trunk filled with dinosaur fossils and exploration tools. With the help of the Magician’s Handbook, kids guide Tommy on a magical adventure where the world of dinosaurs comes alive in wacky and unexpected ways. From the T. rex to the Triceratops and beyond, young audiences will uncover fun facts about dinosaurs and the age in which they lived.
Tommy Terrific grew up in North Little Rock, AR and moved to New York City after graduating from Northwestern University to pursue an acting career on Broadway. While in New York he created Tommy Terrific's Wacky Magic show. For 18 years, Tommy has brought fun and laughter to kids everywhere
Event Listings: Tommy Terrific's Magical Dinosaur Dig
MUSIC
Dacamera presents Black Music Month Celebration: The History of Jazz
Join Sam Dinkins III and his group as they celebrate Black Music Month! Created in 1979, Black Music Month honors the vast contributions of Black artists to American and global culture, including genres rooted in the Black experience such as jazz, R&B, gospel, and soul. Mr. Dinkins III and his group will take listeners through a musical journey of pieces that are essential elements of our nation's cultural heritage.
DACAMERA is internationally recognized as a leading producer and presenter of chamber music and jazz, and is committed to bringing its audiences transformative musical experiences.
Event Listing: Sam Dinkins & the History of Jazz
Dacamera presents Music Encounters: Stellaluna
Enjoy a musical retelling of Stellaluna by Janell Cannon brought to life by a flutist and violinist. Afterward, participants will sequence illustrated scenes from the story and complete a simple writing activity. Best for children in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Dacamera presents Music Encounters: Butterfly Ballet
Discover how music can tell a story during this interactive program inspired by Jonathan Booker’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Participants will listen for the musical “caterpillar motif” and move along with the performance before taking part in the “Butterfly Ballet,” using sound and movement to explore each stage of the butterfly life cycle. K-1st
Event Listings: Butterfly Ballet
Dacamera presents Music Encounters: The Science of Sound
Discover the science of sound through interactive experiments and musical demonstrations! Participants will explore how sound travels through vibrations, investigate different forms of energy, and rotate through hands-on lab stations focused on sound waves, energy transfer, and the Law of Conservation of Energy. Recommended for 3rd – 5th grade.
Event Listing: The Science of Sound
ARTReach presents African Rhythms & Spirituals
A performance inspired by two of the oldest forms of communication: the drum and the human voice. It explores the origin and history of African percussion and Spirituals from Americans of African descent. This engaging presentation blends music, storytelling, and history to create an educational and culturally enriching experience for audiences of all ages.
Event Listings: Aftican Rhythms & Spirituals
Dinosaur Party with Andyrooniverse
It's time to sing and dance with Andyroo and the Andyrooniverse at the Dinosaur Party! In this interactive concert, you'll wave your little arms like a T-Rex, run like a Velociraptor, and bop like a Triceratops while Andyroo sings his dinosaur hits from the Mesozoic Era to the modern day.
Event Listings: Dinosaur Party
STEM
Code Knights presents Minecraft STEM Adventures
Code Knights offer engaging Minecraft STEM experiences for kids, featuring fun adventures and learning at the same time. The Code Knights team brings the magic to libraries with versatile programs that cater to young learners through a fun gaming experience.
Brave Little Company presents Wish You Were Here - Footprints through Time
When you find a mysterious suitcase full of equipment for an expedition, you'll use your imagination and your senses to look for dinosaur fossils! Once you've traveled through the jungle, you will dig for bones at the excavation site, rescue dinos from tar pits, and collect dinosaur eggs. But watch out for an earth-shaking volcano! About Brave Little Company
Note: Because this program uses many hands-on props and materials, it's important for participants to disclose any allergies or sensitivities.
Ideal for ages 3-8 and open to kids of all abilities
Event Listings: Wish You Were Here - Footprints through Time
Wild Things Zoofari presents Step into the Wild
Join us for an exciting Exotic Animal Show featuring live animals and unforgettable encounters. Travel through time as you learn about the amazing animals from the age of dinosaurs to the incredible creatures we share the planet with today. Our shows are packed with fun facts and up-close experiences, perfect for curious kids of all ages and animal-loving adults. Get ready to experience the wild with Wild Things Zoofari!
Event Listings: Step in the Wild
SUMMER CAMPS
MFAH Art Camp
Art Camp is a program in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) that has been available at HCPL branches since Summer 2000. This program is made available to us for free, thanks to grants that the MFAH receives. With this program six branches per year take advantage of week-long summer art camp in which teachers from the prestigious MFAH Glassell school for the Arts come in to teach kids ages 6-12 (up to 24 kids) art classes (10am – 12pm) for four days in the selected week (Mon-Thurs) culminating in a free field trip on Friday (bus provided) to the museum!
Eco-Art Camp with Artist Boat
Presented by Artist Boat, Eco-Art Camp will unearth the secrets hidden at the bottom of the ocean.
During this weeklong camp at the library, students will experience hands-on activities and art creation to understand “Benthic Communities” or what is at the bottom of the ocean. Participants will create watercolor seascapes, glow-in-the-dark acrylic portraits of deep ocean-dwelling organisms, and create coral models out of clay.
Event Listing: Eco-Art Camp with Artist Boat
Dacamera presents Drum & Discover - A Sound and Rhythm Lab
In this hands-on drumming workshop presented by DACAMERA's Young Artists, students entering grades 4-12 will explore the science behind sound, learn about global music traditions, percussion instruments and techniques, and discover the power of rhythm for creativity, self-expression, and teamwork. No prior musical experience is required; just bring your energy and curiosity!
Event listing: Drum & Discover
Space U-Beyond Camp
Space Center Houston educators will lead 25 students in hands-on learning sessions. Students will solve real-life problems faced by astronauts and inspired by NASA missions. The “crew” will work together to solve problems with hands-on engineering, coding, journaling and more! The week culminates with a trip to Space Center Houston, where participants dive into the past, present and future of spaceflight.
Event Listings: Space U-Beyond Camps
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