Come learn about a local animal rescue’s work creating a safe space for our amazing wildlife neighbors and meet some colorful animal ambassadors! Tickets required and released 30 minutes before the program begins.
Tweens
Come see Books Alive bring the children's book The Ballerina with Webbed Feet! from the page to the stage in a fully-staged original musical play that your family will love!
Books Alive adapts children's literature into fully-staged original 45 minute musicals, carefully honoring the author’s message, encouraging students to develop a healthy love of books, while often providing their first opportunity to see live theatre. Crafted and performed by a professional troupe, productions are bright, engaging, fun, and entertaining for all ages!
Get ready for a magical adventure with John O’Bryant’s 2026 Summer Reading Magic Show! This all-new performance is packed with mind-blowing magic, dazzling illusions, and plenty of laugh-out-loud surprises. Come see the impossible happen right before your eyes!
Register to join us for the magic show!
All the crafts will be available at the Teen/Tween Kickoff! Youth headed to grades 4th –12th come make a button, adopt a dino, bead a bracelet, and more! Random prize drawings available to those who have registered for the Summer Reading Program!
This FREE Art Camp is a program in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) that has been available at HCPL branches since Summer 2000. This program is made available to us for free, thanks to grants that the MFAH receives. With this program six library branches per year take advantage of week-long summer art camp in which teachers from the prestigious MFAH Glassell school for the Arts come in to teach kids ages 7-12 art classes (10am – 12pm) for four days in the selected week (Mon-Thurs) culminating in a free field trip on Friday (bus provided) to the museum!
A bashful dinosaur enlists her friends and the audience to help her overcome her shyness and find her voice. The audience learns the importance of courage, confidence, and overcoming personal obstacles from within—with a little help from friends.
Best suited for PreK–5th grade, but designed to be fun and engaging for all ages, including younger children and adults.
Join us at the Parker Williams Library Innovation Lab for our Laser Cutter Orientation!
This orientation session will introduce participants to the laser-cutting services we offer at the library. Those who complete the orientation will then be able to request supervised time to use a laser cutter at any HCPL branch that has one.
🎥🎬 Lights, laughter, and classic cartoons! 🎥🎬
Calling all teens—come hang out at the library for a special cartoon
Bring your own favorite snacks 🍫🍪🥤 to enjoy while you watch and get ready for a fun-filled break with nonstop cartoon comedy. If you love animation and humor, this is the perfect event for you!
Join us at the Barbara Bush Branch Library for a whirl of a time!
Our friends with Mad About Hoops are coming to show off their crazy skills with the circle, also known as the hula-hoop. They'll wow and dazzle you with their acrobatic skills and quick hula-hoop tricks.
This event will be hosted by our generous neighbors at the George H. W. Bush Community Center, Room 226. There is no age restriction, so bring the whole family. This event is free with no ticket required.
Starting May 1, stop by the Crosby Library to sign up for a weekly take-home mystery available this summer. Tweens and teens ages 9 and up are invited to take part in this thrilling case to uncover the Mystery of the Missing Bigfoot.
This detective-style whodunit includes six mystery packets to be solved over the course of the summer. Registration is required - please see the front desk for details and registration