The Maker Space and community rooms of the Turlock Library will be filled with activity throughout the month of August with a host of arts and crafts programs, along with a gardening seminar and book club.

August events at the Turlock Library will begin with the Read to a Dog program at 12 p.m. Saturday.

Independent readers up to age 12 are invited to practice their reading skills with the special Read to a Dog program at the Turlock Library. This program is designed to help children gain confidence in their reading skills by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. Space is limited and online registration is required.

The Aug. 6 T(w)een Tuesday activity will be about print art. Youths ages 9 and up can come to the Maker Space at the library at 4 p.m. to create an art print using Styrofoam and paint. Participants will carve their designs in Styrofoam, apply paint, and press the designs on paper to make beautiful art prints. All materials will be provided. 

Younger children can also come to the library at 4 p.m. Aug. 6 to scrape out their designs onto Styrofoam to use as stamps and then use their stamps to make prints on paper. Children 4 and under must have direct supervision from a parent or adult guardian.

The Turlock Library will celebrate Pokémon Day at 1 p.m. Aug. 7. Meet others who share a passion for Pokémon. Hang out and feel free to trade or battle on your Nintendo Switch, bring your trading cards for a friendly game, hunt for shinies in Pokémon GO, and more. All ages welcome; children 4 and under must have direct adult supervision.

The Friends of the Turlock Library will hold their next meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 7. All are welcome.

The Mystery Lovers Book Club will hold their next meeting at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 12. This month, the club will discuss “Don't You Cry” by Mary Kubica. In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is the only clue, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn to wonder, who is Esther really? And where did she go? Meanwhile, in a small lake town an hour outside of the city, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where 18-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dish washer. He is immediately drawn to her, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something deeper and darker.

The Aug. 13 T(w)een Tuesday activity will be stop-motion LEGO creations. Participants can build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO blocks and bring them to life with stop-motion film. What stories will your creations tell? This program is designed for ages 9 and older. The activity will start at 4 p.m.

Younger children can also come to the library at 4 p.m. Aug. 13 for the opportunity to build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO and Duplo blocks. Children under 4 are welcome, but must have direct parental supervision.

The Turlock Teen Anime Club will meet at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 14. Teens are invited to come watch anime and make a fun craft. This month the club will be watching “The Girl from the Other Side” (TV-PG). This event is designed for ages 12-19.

The library will host a Turlock Board Game Day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 17.  Participants can try a new game or bring their own. Most games are recommended for ages 10 and up, but there will also be games for younger players.  

The Aug. 20 T(w)een Tuesday activity will be wearable circuits. Participants will learn about circuits and create a wearable, lighted wristband out of felt and diodes. All materials will be provided. This program is designed for ages 9 and up. The activity starts at 4 p.m.

A Turlock STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activity about paper airplanes will be held at 4 p.m. Aug. 20. Books on paper airplanes will be displayed and available during the program. All materials will be provided. Geared for children 8 and under; children 4 and under must have direct supervision from a parent or adult guardian.

The Turlock Chess Club will meet at 5 p.m. Aug. 21. Whether you are an amateur, a master, or somewhere between, chess enthusiasts are invited to bring their board to meet and play against others for practice or friendly competition. 

A Maker Space activity on making a quilted zipper pouch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 23. Materials will be provided. This program is designed for ages 18 and up. To join the waiting list for this activity, call (209) 664-8100.

The Aug. 27 T(w)een Tuesday activity will be creating sand bottle keychains. All materials will be provided. This program is designed for ages 9 and up. This activity starts at 4 p.m.

A Junior Engineers program with MoChiMu will be held at 4 p.m. Aug. 27. The Modesto Children's Museum will present an hour-long workshop filled with hands-on discovery. In this program, participants will become engineers, using energy, math, and science to investigate the world. Participants will start by exploring the energy around us – at work whenever something lights up, makes noise, or moves – and see how it flows through circuits. Then, they’ll become an engineer as they build sky-high standing towers, energize light bulbs, program real robots, and design, build, and test using recycled materials together. Recommended for learners from preschool through Grade 2. Parents must stay and play along. Registration is required as space is limited.

The Master Gardeners will present “Salad Bar Gardening” at 6 p.m. Aug. 28. Learn how to grow a salad bar in your backyard in the ground or in containers. For the base, plant lettuce, Swiss chard and spinach. For crunch, add root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes. And don't forget to add broccoli and cauliflower, too. Free seeds to participants.

The Turlock Library is located at 550 Minaret Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.