Travel near and far in the pages of a book as the Hawaii State Public Library System invites readers to visit "Novel Destinations," the theme of its 2011 Adult Summer Reading Program.

The five-week program has already started, but participants ages 18 and older may still sign up at select public libraries where they can obtain a reading log, borrow books and receive free reading incentives, such as bookmarks, mechanical pencils, food items, key chains, magnets and beverage coupons, while supplies last.

The program, which runs through July 1, features books that encourage readers to explore exotic locales, plan a dream vacation, solve a mystery set abroad, sample novels in translation and enjoy Hawaiiana.

Recommended titles include "Kau Kau: Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands," by Arnold Hiura; "Mauri Ola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English," by assorted contributors; "The Elegance of the Hedgehog," by Muriel Barbery; "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter," by Tom Franklin; "In the Woods," by Tana French; "The Calligrapher’s Daughter," by Eugenia Kim; "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob deZoet," by David Mitchell; "The Distant Hours," by Kate Morton; "Shanghai Girls," by Lisa See; "The Broken Shore," by Peter Temple; "Voyage, The Discovery of Hawaii," by Herb Kawainui Kane; and "The Smart Family’s Passport: 350 Money, Time & Sanity Saving Tips," by Nina Willdorf.

IN ADDITION, "Novel Destinations: There’s the Door?" will be performed as part of teen and adult reading programs at six libraries on Oahu and Molokai. The free stage presentation stars storytellers Neal Milner, Dann Seki and Nyla Fujii-Babb and musician Jeffry Stephen Babb.

It is described as "a humorous and poignant examination of the struggle to answer life’s big questions through original stories" and is based on the style of the storytellers’ earlier Kumu Kahua shows "Growing Up Hyphened in America" and "Life Staged."

The performance schedule follows:

» 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wahiawa Public Library; 622-6345

» 5:30 p.m. June 21, Kaimuki Public Library; 733-8422

» 3 p.m. June 28, Molokai Public Library; (808) 553-1765

» 6:30 p.m. July 6, Mililani Public Library; 627-7470

» 11:30 a.m. July 9, Hawaii State Library; 586-3499

» 1 p.m. July 10, Pearl City Public Library; 453-6566

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On the net:

» Find participating libraries at www.librarieshawaii.org.