On Tuesday, May 17, the Lincoln County Library and all first graders at Canyon Elementary School in Kemmerer celebrated Wyoming Reads 2022. Since 2006, first graders all across the state of Wyoming have received a hardcover book from the Sue Jorgensen Foundation of Casper as part of the annual Wyoming Reads celebration. In 2019, the Jorgensen Foundation gave out nearly 7,500 books to Wyoming first graders.

In Kemmerer, the first graders traveled to the Lincoln County Library to receive their books, have lunch and celebrate reading.  The librarians could feel the excitement as the kids got off the bus and were led into the community room. The kids buzzed, some trying to remember what book they selected back in December and others telling their classmates what their older siblings had told them about Wyoming Reads.

Once the kids were settled, Youth Services Librarian Kellie Humphries explained how Wyoming Reads came to be and the first graders received their books. Kids were then split into groups and dispersed to areas around the library to eat lunch and to have books read to them.

Lunch was provided by Sage Bowling Lanes, thanks to a grant from United Way of Southwest Wyoming. 

First graders in Cokeville also celebrated Wyoming Reads by touring the Cokeville Branch Library. They also enjoyed pizza and root beer floats, played an M&M game, made a bookmark and read some books.

Kids at both libraries were treated to the antics of “Duck, Duck, Moose” by Mary Sullivan; the contemplation of a day to replace Sunday in “A New Day” by Brad Meltzer; “The Truth About Dragons” by Jaime Zollars; the hilarity of “Oh Look, A Cake” by J.C. McKee; a pangolin telling other animals “I Am Not A Penguin” by Liz Wong; and contemplating “Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals” by Katy. S. Duffield.