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A child plays the Theremin, an instrument that uses the electrical fields around the instrument and people to change pitches. (Reporter photo/Keith McCoy)

PELHAM – The Pelham Public Library celebrated the end of its Libraries Rock summer reading program on Tuesday, July 24, in an explosive way with an interactive program called The Science of Sound.

During the program, Jan Mattingly, better known as “The Science Lady,” taught the kids in attendance about how sound is created and amplified. Using Alka-Seltzer and water, she showed the kids how to create an explosion, and introduced them to an instrument called a Theremin, which uses the electrical fields around the instrument and people to change pitches.

Mattingly also made musical instruments for the children to take home and used fire to teach them about chemical reactions.

Pelham resident Leia Tucker attended the event with her two children and one of their friends.

“It was very well done,” Tucker said. “She did a great job of capturing the kids’ attention and explaining scientific concepts in a way that they could understand.”

Tucker said her children attended the events at the library during the summer reading program every week that they were in town.

“We’ve been participating in the summer reading program for years,” Tucker said. “We love it because the library has lots of books and fun activities for kids to participate in.”

Tucker said the new library lends itself well to the program.

“There’s a lot more room for everyone, which is definitely an improvement,” she said.

Children’s Librarian Rebecca Burchfield said nearly 700 kids signed up for the summer reading program this year.

“This is my third year here in Pelham and this is by far our most successful reading program since I’ve been here,” Burchfield said. “We’re not so crammed within the library, which has made it to where we have better crowds for events. It’s been wonderful seeing so many new faces and seeing how much fun the kids are having.”

Aidan Conner was named the winner of the reading program’s Book Bingo game. As the winner, he received a bicycle and a helmet. The Book Bingo sheet listed different types of books children could read – like fiction, non-fiction or funny books – and for each row completed the child got a prize. Those who completed their whole sheet had their name entered into a drawing to win the bicycle and helmet. There were more than 300 entries in the bicycle drawing.

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