Snakes, spiders and a scorpion were just a few of the animals that came out of cages and pots at the Aiken County Library on Wednesday.

A magic show with Chad Crews showed children how they could incorporate summer reading into any activity they might be interested in.

Before Mr. Crews would perform a magic trick, children had to scream "I love to read" as loud as possible. Some parents had their fingers in their ears as the children screamed with excitement.

"I liked that he had doves," said Brooke Younce, 9. "This was really neat and interesting. I had a lot of fun."

Summer library program newcomers Benjamin Jollie, 7, and Rebekah Jollie, 5, said they couldn't wait to see more shows during the summer.

"He had a toy skunk and it was just funny," Benjamin said, referring to the stuffed skunk Stinky that Mr. Crews brought to life with a twitch of his hand.

Other magic tricks included Mr. Crews escaping from a straitjacket like magician Harry Houdini, and a snake appearing in an empty pot. Each trick related to a book in the library.

Rachel Pirkle, the children's librarian, said the library tries to bring in different acts and events each year to keep things fresh for children who attend every summer.

More than 600 children have signed up for the summer reading program. Ms. Pirkle said she expects to have more than 800 children participate this year.

"This is an experience they can't get anywhere else," she said.

Each week in the summer, a new event is held for children and young adults.

Reach Julia Sellers at (803) 648-1395, ext. 106 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com.