Crews brings magic and books together

Magician Chad Crews brought a little razzle-dazzle and allakazaam to the Aiken County Public Library Wednesday.

Crews gave two magic shows for young readers Wednesday afternoon as part of the Summer Reading Program schedule of events. In keeping with this year's "Make a Splash: Read!" slogan, much of the show's music and tricks had water and beach themes. He called for audience participation to help with imaginary beach metal detecting, a mind-reading trick and to help straitjacket and chain him up for a Houdini-esque escape. He got loose in under his two-minute time limit, but just barely.

Most importantly, Crews emphasized the importance of reading to the audiences of children in grades 1 to 5. He showed off picture books on snakes and sharks and his own first magic book, as well as two introduction-to-magic books he wrote and had for sale, and reminded the audience to look for books at the library.

"There's three things I want you to remember," Crews said. "Good readers can learn all kinds of things, meet all kinds of people and have all kinds of adventures."

He quizzed the audience on the sayings throughout the shows.

The Summer Reading Program event schedule continues this week with a young adults event at 4 p.m. Thursday, "Vampires Through the Ages."

The event schedule breaks for the holidays next week, and the library will close on Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day. The Summer Reading schedule resumes with a Sidewalk Chalk Night at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 6; a twisted theatrical version of "The Frog Prince" by Porkchop Productions at 2 and 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 7; and a young adults' Hunger Games Book Club event at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 8.

For more information about the Summer Reading Program or other upcoming events, call the Aiken County Public Library at 642-2020 or visit the library's website at www.abbe-lib.org.

Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.