The Seattle Public Library’s Summer Reading Program kicks off today with the theme “Where Does Reading Take You?” The annual program encourages everyone, especially children, to read during the summer.

To participate, sign up in person at any of the 27 Library locations, including the Queen Anne Library, at 400 W Garfield Street. Children can get a reading log and collect a sticker for each book read. Teens and adults can also track books at their local branch.

Children who participate in the Summer Reading Program will receive a free paperback book and a pass to the Burke Museum after reading 10 books. Children who read 10 books by Monday, Aug. 1 will be entered into a drawing for the city librarian’s popular Breakfast of Champions event held at the Space Needle in August. One winner from each Library location will be selected.

Participating in the Summer Reading Program is a great way for kids to have fun and improve reading skills during the summer break from school. A 2004 study in the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk found that having elementary school students read just four or five books during the summer can prevent the reading-achievement losses that normally occur over those months.

The Summer Reading Program includes hundreds of free programs for families at library locations. Here are the programs scheduled at the Queen Anne Library:

• Puss in Boots – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Thursday, June 23. “The ethnic diversity and rich musical traditions of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayous are the background for Oregon Shadow Theatre’s version of the classic French fairy tale. Colorful shadow puppets inspired by Mardi Gras’ outrageous parade costumes along with live Zydeco and Cajun music give spicy flavor to this production. For ages 4 and up.”
• Snakes: Friend or Foe – 3 to 4 p.m., Monday, July 11. “Learn all about snakes in this program led by wildlife educator Nick Sutton. Discover natural history, learn how to identify both local and tropical species, and even touch a real snake! All featured snakes are non-venomous. For ages 7 and up.”
• Going Global – 11:30 a.m.m to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, July 30. “Join juggler Alex Zerbe for a high-energy comedy show that excites kids and adults alike about different cultures and phenomena from around the world. See why this two-time Guinness World Record holder was voted Seattle’s Funniest Prop Comic. For ages 5 and up.”
• Hands-on-Henna – 3 to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 9. “Create and wear great-looking art! Learn about the fascinating history and traditions of this beautiful form of body adornment with artist Krysteen Lomonaco. Not suitable for large groups such as day cares or summer camps. For ages 10 and up. Limited to 30 people. Call the branch to register.”
• Brother Coyote and Sister Fox – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Thursday, August 8. “Join Thistle Theatre for a delightful and humorous adaptation of a beloved Mexican folktale featuring puppets, music and humor. For ages 3-11.”

The doors to Queen Anne’s only pediatric dentist, Seattle Kids Dentistry, opened earlier this week. Dr. Purva Merchant’s quaint office at 2223 Queen Anne Ave. N. is now accepting young patients for appointments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The office is equipped with basic child amenities like fruit-flavored gloves, flavored dental paste, flat-screen televisions playing DVDs overhead, and a children’s play area. Her staff will include a dental assistant and a receptionist, both Queen Anne residents. The small two-chair operation suits her intimate approach to her practice.

“Because it’s a small office, you get a lot of doctor time because there’s no place for the doctor to hide,” said Merchant. “We’re making a space that kids don’t feel overwhelmed by, where they feel welcome.”

The working philosophy of Seattle Kids Dentistry is prevention-based, individualized care, according to Merchant.

“Every child is different, you can’t put a blanket number on them,” Merchant said. “I want to treat them like I would treat my child – you get what you need when you need it, not you get what everybody else gets because that’s what the insurance company says.”

Merchant’s passion for dentistry can be traced back to her own dentist as a child in Pune, India outside of Mumbai. Merchant says she was a very positive influence in her life, and she hopes she can duplicate this inspiration in her own patients.

“You have the opportunity of being in someone’s life two times a year throughout their childhood,” said Merchant. “They only get an hour with you, but it can be an impressionable hour if it’s done right.”

She began her dental training in India, and won the title of Miss India in 2003 after dental school. Merchant dismisses the Miss India title as a small matter, just a footnote that pales to her passion for pediatric dentistry. According to Merchant, pediatric dentistry is a combination of her three loves – children, science, and art.

Merchant did her specialty training in pediatric dentistry in New Jersey, and she received board certification in Washington after moving here in 2007. For the last three years, she’s worked as an associate for Redmond Kids Dentistry, and she’s also worked in Mount Vernon, Factoria, Puyallup and other areas as maternity leave for other dentists. Even as her business grows she will continue working as an associate for Redmond Kids Dentistry two days a week, as well as continue her work as a part-time faculty member at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. In her spare time, when she can find it, she enjoys yoga.

The Queen Anne venture arose when Merchant looked for a house in Seattle with her husband, a software engineer at Microsoft. She discovered that Queen Anne didn’t have its own pediatric dentist, which she found surprising considering the number of families and children in the area. This led to the decision to open her own practice in the neighborhood. The office she leased will be shared with orthodontist Dr. Smita Patel, who occupies the space two days a week with her business Smiles by Smita.

Although new to the hill, Merchant says she’s found the Queen Anne community extremely supportive and helpful.

“People have been coming around donating toys, which has been really sweet,” Merchant said. “Queen Anne is a very tight-knit community; everyone wants to support each other, which is so fantastic.”

She enlisted the local, family-owned businesses she could in the remodeling process. She hired local painters and called Castillo’s Custom Upholstery when she needed to reupholster her dental chairs. She’s also been working on cross-promotions with local businesses. Merchant tentatively plans to hold an open house on Valentine’s Day to show off her new business to area residents and businesses.

Her first patient this week was her neighbor who chipped a tooth, perhaps a waste of the fruit-flavored gloves, but Merchant looks forward to treating her young patients, which she views as a special responsibility and opportunity. She hopes to instill positive attitudes about going to the dentist and dental care.

“It’s such an important, impressionable age,” said Merchant. “I feel if you do the right things at that age they will always be good dental patients.”

Twirl Cafe is having a grand opening celebration this Saturday, October 9 from 10 a.m. onward at its brand new digs in the Sweetbrier building, at 2111 Queen Anne Ave N.

We first heard that Twirl was coming to Queen Anne back in June, when we spoke with Queen Anne resident and Twirl owner Rebecca Pelletier. The idea behind Twirl was to create a community oriented family-style gathering space—part kids play space, part cafe.  Pelletier ultimately decided to open her play cafe in Queen Anne, thanks to the neighborhood’s vibrant community atmosphere.

Twirl will offer classes and activities for kids and adults, childcare services (while the parents enjoy some downtime or in-house workshops), and yummy health-oriented eats. And from the look of things so far, even the food will capture the Queen Anne feel. ‘The Howe,’ ‘The Galer,’ and ‘The Bigelow,’ are all specialty sandwiches on the menu.

Read more about Pelletier and Twirl Cafe here.

There’s a lot happening at the Seattle Public Library these days, including a new online career resource center and the Summer Reading Program.

SPL’s new Workplace911 is an online career resource covering all aspects of work, from finding a job to handling a difficult boss.

Workplace911 is a joint partnership between author and work expert Bob Rosner, Brainfuse and The Seattle Public Library. The resource is free and will be available from the Library’s website at www.spl.org by selecting the “Job hunting resources” Quick Link.

Rosner is a Seattle-based (Queen Anne) bestselling author and award-winning journalist. He is author of “The Boss’s Survival Guide” and “Working Wounded: Advice that Adds Insight to Injury.” Rosner has a unique perspective on today’s workplace, having personally responded to over 50,000 emails from employees and employers. He is a regular contributor to the Today Show and CNBC, and has been featured in People, the Wall Street Journal and Fortune.

Rosner also will facilitate a series of workshops about employment and the workplace at several local libraries.

The Library also has a program that provides personalized reading lists for teens.

To get your list, go to www.spl.org and then to the “Teens” page under “Audiences.” Use the “Ask a Librarian” e-mail form to tell us about a few books you love or ones that have put you to sleep. Tell us your favorite genres. Fantasy, horror, romance? What else?

In a day or two you will receive a list of five recommended books just for you. You can use the personalized list service as many times as you want, and it’s always free!

For more information, call the Teen Center at 206-615-1410.

The Library system also just kicked off its Summer Reading Program, with the theme “Where Does Reading Take You?” The annual program encourages everyone to read during summer, especially children. You can sign up in person, at any of the 27 Library locations or online.

Children can track books online, or get a reading log from any Library location and collect a sticker for each book read. Teens and adults can also track books online or in-person at their local branch.

Children who participate in the Summer Reading Program will receive a free paperback book and a pass to the Burke Museum after reading 10 books. Children who read 10 books by Monday, July 26 will be entered into a drawing for the city librarian’s popular Breakfast of Champions event held at the Sheraton Hotel in August. One winner from each Library location will be selected.

This year’s Summer Reading Program includes hundreds of free programs for families at Library locations. Here are the programs scheduled for the Queen Anne branch:

• She Sings Sea Songs at the Queen Anne Branch – Popular Northwest children’s performer Nancy Stewart sings songs with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest coast, including tide pools and ferry boats. For ages 10 and under. Saturday, June 26, 2010, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• 20,000 Volts Under the Sea at the Queen Anne Branch – Sing, dance and laugh with the Brian Waite Band. This deep-sea, rock musical is fun for the whole family and filled with interactive games, zany characters and, of course, great live music. For ages 3 and up. Tuesday, July 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This isn’t exactly in Queen Anne, but it’s so cool I thought I’d include it! Beginning Thursday, April 1, the Seattle Public Library begins its “Bikes for Books” program to encourage children to read by offering up a bike as a reward for reading as many books as possible.

The program, sponsored by the Masonic Doric Lodge No. 92 in Fremont, invites children in 1st through 3rd  grade to read books and compete for the bike. For every three books they read between April 1 and June 3, participants will get to enter their name once in the drawing. Each entry will require a short oral book report to a librarian.

The celebration and drawing will take place on Saturday, June 5, at 4:00 p.m. at the Fremont Branch (731 N. 35th St). One girl and one boy will each win a bike, helmet and lock. Winners must be present to win. All participants will receive certificates of accomplishment.  For more information, call the Fremont Branch at 206-684-4084 or SPL communications director Andra Addison at 206-386-4103.

Next Thursday, September 24, is Dish Up Literacy day in Seattle, an event put on by Page Ahead, a non-profit organization that works to increase and develop literacy programs for children. And Dish Up Literacy is making it easy to give – you can help raise money simply by eating out!

On Thursday restaurants participating in Dish Up Literacy have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to Page Ahead, meaning the more people who eat out on the 24th, the more money will go toward literacy services, books and supplies for kids.

“We provide new books for kids, story times for younger children and family workshops with the proceeds,” said Tara, a Page Ahead volunteer. “Hope to see you dining out on September 24th.”

In Queen Anne both Julia’s and Ten Mercer will be donating 20 percent of their profits on the day to the program. The Signature is also participating. But if you’re not in the neighborhood next Thursday, check out other participating restaurants in the Seattle area.