DOWAGIAC — Local children will be able to see their favorite stories come to life at an upcoming Dowagiac District Library event.

Chicago-based children’s entertainer Chris Fascione will be performing a show at 1 p.m. Monday, July 22, at the Dowagiac District Library. The program will be a part of the library’s summer reading challenge, “A Universe of Stories,” which is challenging community members to band together to complete 56,000 minutes of reading over the course of the summer and allows participants to be entered to win prizes. The event is free to the public.

Fascione, who performs more than 3,000 times annually, said his performances “bring literature to life” by acting out stories that can be checked out of local libraries.

“This is an all-ages show,” he said. “I do performances for as young as toddlers and up, and they can be enjoyed by the parents and grandparents, as well.”

By combining comedy and audience participation, Fascione said his performances become a fun way for children to be both entertained and engaged with stories and reading.

“We know reading is so important. When kids read in the summer, they are ready to go in the fall,” Fascione said. “I’m unique in that I act out stories differently than a traditional storyteller. … I’m like a one-man theater company.”

Each year during the summer reading program, the library hosts a live performance of some kind, according to Melissa Phillips, youth services coordinator.

Phillips said she is excited to see Fascione’s performance and believes that attendees will enjoy it.

“It’s going to be a great show,” Phillips said. “[Fascione] travels all over the country with this show. It’s going to be something to light up the summer.”

She added that she believes it is important for the library to supplement the reading challenge with live performances to keep children engaged with reading.

“Each summer, we try to bring in one or two programs that fit with the theme [of the summer reading challenge],” Phillips said. “I think it is important to provide these events for the community and to people who wouldn’t otherwise see something like this.”

Both Fascione and Phillips said they would encourage the public to attend the July 22 event.

“It’s a fun thing for kids to do in the middle of summer,” Phillips said. “We want to get kids interested in reading. You never know, this could be the thing that sparks a love of reading.”