How much time do your children spend watching TV in a week? How about over the summer? Chances are it is far more than 10 hours over the entire 10 weeks of summer vacation. How much time do they spend reading in the same time span?

The Kitsap Regional Library Summer Reading Program, “Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales!” kicks off June 17, and it is only asking young readers for 10 hours of reading time over their entire summer break. Piece of cake — or at least it should be.

While reading is a reward in itself, to sweeten the deal the library is offering a free paperback book and free ticket to the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede for every reader who reaches that goal. Young readers are asked to track their reading in 15-minute increments, while teens are asked to record it in one-hour blocks. Super Readers, those who read more than 20 hours over the summer, will receive a personal invitation to special awards events to celebrate their achievement.

Librarians throughout Kitsap County have planned more than 50 events to keep kids coming back, with everything from puppets to live reptiles.

The program begins with an appearance by Jack the Mascot, from the Kitsap BlueJackets baseball team, 1 p.m. June 17 at the Bremerton Library, 612 Fifth St., Bremerton.

Every library has entertaining and educational events scheduled for Tuesdays from early July through late August, including appearances by Reptile Man Scott Peterson, singer and storyteller Alley Oop, jugglers Brothers From Different Mothers, Puppets Please and Charlie Williams, Noise Guy. Many of the performers appear more than once, at different libraries.

Since many of the entertainers, and the laughs they elicit, exceed the library noise limit, several libraries are choosing to host events at local parks or other venues nearby. Bainbridge Island Library events will be held at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 1301 Madison Ave. N; Little Boston Library events will be held at the Tribal Center; Port Orchard events will be at Port Orchard Waterfront Park; and Silverdale events will be at Silverdale Waterfront Park.

Events for teens include Charlie’s Comics Workshops, Wednesday evenings at the Poulsbo, Silverdale, Sylvan Way, Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island libraries beginning July 29 in Poulsbo, and teen game nights once per library at each branch, beginning June 29 at the Kingston Library.

A full schedule of events and details of the Summer Reading Program can be found at any Kitsap Regional Library branch and online at www.krl.org.