Q: How much do pirates pay for their earrings? A: A Buccaneer.

OK, that joke may not be the height of adult humour but to children it’s side-splittingly funny. Kids will laugh at the silliest things.

They say laughter is the best medicine, but it can also be a great teacher. And using humour to promote reading skills is the theme of this year’s TD Summer Reading Club, Laugh Out Loud, at Newmarket Public Library.

This annual literacy program is held at libraries throughout Canada. Almost 250,000 children across the country participated last year.

The program has a different theme each year, but the objective is always the same: to keep children reading while they are out of school.

Summer vacation offers children plenty of time for play, but it also leads to a decline in reading development.

There is a term for it: summer learning loss.

Children forget a lot of what they were taught at school during the summer months, according to the Canadian Council On Learning.

When they return to class, teachers must allow significant time for review. Studies have shown summer learning loss is equivalent to a month of classroom instruction.

“What makes the summer reading club so appealing to children and parents is it instructs and entertains at the same time,” says Susan Hoffman, the library’s head of children’s services.

“This year is a perfect example, providing children an opportunity to hone their reading skills while having fun.”

Any child between six and 12 can participate and set a goal for the number of books to read during the summer.

Choices include dozens of humour books, stories and poems on the library’s shelves. Some popular favourites include the Captain Underpants series, Walter the Farting Dog and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

The library is also hosting programs, contests and activities in support of the reading club.

At the end of the program, all children who participate are eligible for rewards donated by local businesses.

To reach as many children as possible, Newmarket Public Library is also offering programs for pre-schoolers and young adults: the Read-To-Me Club for children 3 to 5 and The Amazing Reading Race for anyone 13 and older.

Lorne Chase is marketing and communications co-ordinator for the Newmarket Public Library.