BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Bay Minette Public Library’s summer-reading program showed children that books can take them places during “One World, Many Stories” held each Tuesday in June.

The program brought 975 attendees, with 184 reading-contest participants. Elementary- through sixth-grade-students took part in the contest, according to Children’s Librarian Victoria Barnett.

Certificates were awarded to 55 participants, who collectively read 3,818 books. The following children were photographed at the civic center after they won awards for reading the most books per age category: Haley and Kaitlyn Wicker; Amelia and Blakeley Dute; Nathaniel and Elizabeth Skeen; Brionna and Isaiah McCall; Hannah, Marie, Cody and Noah Bryars; Bonnie, Matt and Bailey Benham; Brianna, Blake and Courtney Marchman, Jason Holcomb and Blake Mixon.

Rising fifth-grader Brionna McCall won first place for reading 114 books. She said she mostly enjoyed the “Fancy Nancy” books because “they teach you new words and stuff.”

This is McCall’s third year to participate in the Bay Minette Public Library summer-reading program.

“(I do it) because I love reading,” she said.

After McCall won, she felt “excited and good,” she said.

“I think the words were really hard,” McCall said. “My mom said she’s proud of me.”

Travion May won first place in the rising fourth-grade category, after reading 65 books. It was his first year to participate in the program, and he did so "because my cousin was (participating)," he said.

Travion said his family celebrated after he won first place.

“We went to the skating rink,” he said.

“One World, Many Stories” held eight programs, four storytimes and four entertainment portions that included “Walk About Puppets” and “Aztec Dance,” Barnett said.

“Boys really appreciated the Aztec dancer,” she said in an email, “and adults enjoyed Russel Davis, the magician who has the rare gift of appealing to young and old alike. All the programs went well this year.”

Previous year’s reading contest had between 100-120 participants, Barnett explained.

“Our numbers were up this year, which I attribute partially to the economy and also to better advertising,” she said. “In these tough economic times, our program is absolutely free, and families are looking for low cost things for their kids to do during the summer.”

Barnett has high hopes for next year’s summer-reading program.

“We have historically had great attendance and expect next year to continue the trend,” she said. “Studies have shown that kids who participate in a summer-reading program do not lose as much ground during the summer and enter school ahead of children who do no enrichment activities during the summer.”