Veronica Cooper was the top reader at the Troy Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. She read a whooping 500 books.

That’s huge number of books for anyone to read, even an eager beaver, eight-year-old who would rather read than “almost anything.”

“I love reading and I like to read any kind of book,” Veronica said. “I just like to read. All the time. And, I like coming to the library because they have so many books. I like books.”

Teresa Colvin, children’s librarian, said Veronica is one of those familiar faces at the Troy Public Library.

“She’s what we call a regular,” Colvin said. “Veronica has been coming to the library since she was a toddler. She’s in the library week in and week out. Her parents are the kind of parents who realize the importance of reading to their children, letting their children read to them and then encouraging them to read, read, read for the pleasure of a good story.

“The Coopers realize that a child is never too young to enjoy a good story. They have made literacy a part of Veronica’s young life.”

Colvin said Veronica is unusual in that she reads such a wide array of books.

“She reads some of the easier fiction books and juvenile fiction and she even reads non-fiction from time to time,” Colvin said. “Veronica is a wonderful example of what can happen when a child is read to and encouraged to read. She loves coming to the library and the whole world is opened to her through books. Reading is a skill that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. That’s what the Troy Public Library offers to our children – the opportunity of a lifetime.”