We at The News love reading.

Not only is part of our livelihood, we also believe it’s important to the livelihood of everyone in our community.

Reading unlocks the doors to the rest of the world, increasing our ability to learn, and makes it possible for us to gain new skills. Those who can’t or struggle to read will find themselves held back in most avenues to success in any industry.

That’s why we’re excited about the Alpena County Library’s new Chapter Champions Book Club, designed for readers ages 6 to 9 who are just beginning to read illustrated chapter books.

The club, mostly handled through virtual connections, allows readers to interact with their peers and build a love of reading through weekly and monthly challenges and a virtual monthly discussion. Kiddos also get access to the newest books in the library’s collection, peer recommendations, and chances to win free books and prizes.

That kind of program is why we love libraries, and the Alpena County Library is an especially awesome gem.

We encourage parents to sign their kiddos up for this program. Email sgrochowski@alpenalibrary.org or visit the library’s website or Facebook page for more information.