Mid-Summer of Stories
A summer filled with books, creativity, and adventure.
Join us for eight weeks of story-inspired classes, workshops, clubs, and creative experiences for babies, toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens.
Every session is designed as a complete stand-alone adventure, making it easy to drop in for a single class or join us all summer long.
Read. Create. Explore. Imagine.
Creativity unlocked
This summer, Midsummer Books is transforming into a world of dragons, hidden maps, underwater kingdoms, magical schools, folklore forests, and star-filled adventures.
Mid-summer of stories is an eight-week summer programming series designed for babies, toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens who love stories, creativity, imagination, and hands-on exploration.
Each week introduces a new literary-inspired theme with storytimes, workshops, book clubs, maker activities, creative projects, fantasy worldbuilding, games, journaling, crafts, and immersive adventures designed by age group.
Whether your child is discovering picture books for the first time, devouring chapter books, building fantasy maps, designing magical creatures, or searching for their next favorite series, there’s a place for them here.
Good to Know
✓ All classes are drop-in friendly
✓ Attend one session or many
✓ Programs available for ages 0–18
✓ Weekly literary themes connect all age groups
✓ Summer Reading Passport included
✓ Small-group experiences led by booksellers and educators
Our Summer Programs
Each class will run approximately an hour, with drop-ins available as space allows.
Our themes will help guide our plans, but every class will be uniquely contained, so you won't miss out if you miss a week or only drop in once.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Morning Story Lab
Tuesdays, 10:30 AM
Combines engaging picture books and simple hands-on activities inspired by each week's theme.
Designed to spark curiosity and a love of stories, every session encourages children to explore, create, and connect through playful literacy experiences.
Little Readers, Big Feelings
Wednesdays, 10:30 AM
Stories help us understand ourselves and each other. Little Readers, Big Feelings uses picture books, discussion, and simple creative activities to explore emotions like friendship, courage, disappointment, belonging, kindness, and confidence.
Designed for ages 2–5, this gentle program helps children build emotional awareness while connecting with stories and each other.
Mini Makers
Thursdays, 10:30 AM
Create, experiment, and discover through process art.
Tiny Makers invites young artists to explore colors, textures, materials, and imagination through hands-on creative projects inspired by books.
The focus is on making, experimenting, and expressing ideas rather than creating a perfect finished product. Every class encourages creativity, fine motor development, and joyful exploration.
Early Elementary (appx age 5-9)
Story Seekers
Tuesdays, 1PM
Ready for your next adventure? Story Seekers is like a book club and creativity program for newly independent readers who love stories, imagination, and making things.
Each week we'll explore a chapter book together through games, discussion, and hands-on projects inspired by the characters, settings, and adventures we discover.
Literacy Passport
Wednesdays, 1PM
Pack your imagination and get ready to explore! Literacy Passport invites young readers to travel the world through stories, discovering new cultures, traditions, folktales, foods, and perspectives along the way.
Each week we'll visit a different literary destination through books, discussion, and hands-on activities that celebrate the many ways people tell stories and share their experiences.
Wonder Workshop
Thursdays, 1pm
Wonder Workshop is a hands-on curiosity lab for young explorers.
Each session pairs a fascinating book with a creative experiment, engineering challenge, art project, or investigation inspired by the week's big question.
Children will observe, test, build, invent, and imagine while developing scientific thinking, problem-solving skills, and confidence in asking questions about the world around them.
Designed for ages 5–8. No prior science knowledge required, just curiosity and a willingness to wonder.
Write with Olivia
Wednesdays, 4PM
Creative writing for new writers - prompts, feedback, and anyone can bring what they are working on for support.
Best suited for writers that are aged 7-11
Registration coming soon...
Middle Grade Series (ages 9-13)
Hand Lettering | Tuesdays, 3pm
Letters are everywhere—from book covers and treasure maps to concert posters, cereal boxes, comic books, and storefront signs. In this hands-on creative lettering series, students will learn how artists and designers use words as art while experimenting with decorative alphabets, illustration, color, and layout.
Each week explores a different lettering style inspired by stories, art, and the world around us. No prior experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to create.
Adventure Quest Guild | Fridays 1pm
Calling all adventurers, explorers, dragon riders, and creature keepers!
Each week, members of the Adventure Quest Guild will dive into a new story-inspired challenge inspired by fantasy novels, legends, mysteries, and magical worlds. Through creative worldbuilding, mapmaking, storytelling, and design projects, participants will create their own characters, creatures, artifacts, and adventures.
Every session is a complete stand-alone quest, so adventurers can join us for one week or many. No previous attendance required.
Tweens and Teens (ages 11+)
Junk Journaling | Wednesdays 5:30pm
Part scrapbook, part art journal, part creative playground—Junk Journal Club invites tweens and teens to transform everyday papers, found objects, book pages, maps, tickets, and ephemera into beautiful and meaningful keepsakes.
Each week explores a different theme inspired by stories, imagination, and adventure while introducing new mixed-media techniques, collage styles, and creative journaling approaches. No artistic experience required—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to experiment.
Graphic Novels with Jason | Tuesdays 6PM
Coming soon!
Teen Classes (ages 14+)
Writer's Room for Teens | Tuesdays 4:30
A writing space for teens who love stories.
Whether you're drafting a novel, creating fanfiction, building a fantasy world, developing a D&D character, or simply looking for inspiration, Teen Writers Lab offers a welcoming place to write, experiment, and share ideas.
Each week explores a different aspect of storytelling through prompts, mini-lessons, discussions, and writing exercises inspired by beloved books. Every session is self-contained, making it easy to drop in for a single class or attend all summer long.
Writers are encouraged to bring notebooks, works-in-progress, and big ideas.
Makers Studio | Thursdays 5:30 PM
What if your favorite fantasy world, mystery novel, or sci-fi adventure left behind a box of artifacts?
In Teen Makers, participants create immersive projects inspired by books, fandoms, and storytelling. Using paper craft, design, collage, journaling, and worldbuilding techniques, teens will create maps, dossiers, field guides, coded messages, journals, and keepsakes that feel like they came straight from the pages of a novel.
Each session stands alone and no artistic experience is required—just a love of stories, creativity, and making cool things.
Sign up for drop-in preschool classes
No events at the moment
Sign up for Early Reader/Early Elementary Classes
No events at the moment
Classes for Tweens (ages 9-12)
Enter the Wilderlore Book Club. Find your creature. Learn your magic.Multiple DatesWed, Sep 23Our Mutual Friend | Midsummer Books
Teen Classes
Weekly Themes
This summer, we’re turning the bookstore into a creative space for readers, makers, dreamers, and kids who maybe don’t think they’re readers yet.
Each week has its own theme, with age-based programs designed to build literacy, creativity, confidence, and community through stories, hands-on projects, games, discussion, and imaginative play.
Whether your child is a toddler discovering storytime, a newly independent reader, a middle grade fantasy obsessive, or a teen who wants a creative place to land, there’s a summer series for them here.
Week 1: Imagination & Belonging
July 6-10
Kick off summer with stories that celebrate creativity, friendship, and finding your place.
Week 2: Dragons & Creatures
July 13-17
Field guides, fantasy beasts, dragon lore, and creature-inspired adventures.
Week 3: Oceans & Underwater Worlds
July 20-24
Dive into sea stories, mermaids, shipwrecks, tide pools, and ocean mysteries.
Week 4: Secret Worlds & Magic Schools
July 27-31
Hidden doors, magical classrooms, enchanted maps, and worlds just out of sight.
Week 5: Space & Stars
Aug 3-7
Explore planets, constellations, sci-fi stories, and cosmic creativity.
Week 5: Mysteries and Maps
Aug. 10-15
Crack codes, follow clues, design maps, and solve story-driven puzzles.
Week 7: Folklore & Fairytales
Aug. 17-21
Reimagined classics, tricksters, myths, legends, and magical retellings.
