Your mission if you choose to accept it is to complete these 9 summer reading library challenges!
Each of these challenges will take you to the library to discover new books to read over the summer with the children. The ideas work for any age and make a great family literacy project or summer school activity.
You can even keep track of your progress and the neat books you discover on the free printable below.
Here we go!
Summer Library Reading Challenge
You can complete the challenges in any order!
Challenge #1
Find the Caldecott winner book for each year someone in your family was born and read them. You can see the Caldecott winners list here.
So, my family will be reading:
1972- One Fine Day
1973- The Funny Little Woman
2010- The Lion & The Mouse
2012- A Ball for Daisy
Challenge #2
Visit the library and go to the picture book area. Most libraries organize their books in alphabetical order by author’s last name. Find the section of books that begins with the first letter of you last name. Select a book and then move to the section that begins with the second letter in your last name and choose another book.
For example, if your last name is SMITH, you will come home with a books by authors whose last name starts with a S (maybe Richard Scarry), M (maybe Bill Martin), I (maybe Mick Inkpen) , T (maybe Mark Teague), H (maybe Eric Hill).
Here is a picture of the books we got for our last name!
Challenge #3
Ask your children’s librarian to recommend a hidden gem (an often overlooked book) somewhere on the library shelves. Let us know what your librarian recommends! It will be interesting to see what librarians around the world recommend.
Challenge #4
Go to the “A” section and select the very first book on the shelf. Then, go to the “Z” section and select the very last book on the shelf.
Challenge #5
This a quick challenge. Head to section 599 of the library and select a book.
Challenge #6
Spend a few days writing down all the questions your kids ask on little pieces of paper. Randomly pick one slip. Take it to the library and see if you can find a book that will help you answer that question.
We are going to be looking for a book that answers this question- How do airplanes fly? I think we will read some books off this airplane book list!
Challenge #7
Select a book that has won a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. This award is given to the most distinguished beginning reader book each year.
Challenge #8
Go to the “G” section of the library. Look on the bottom shelf. Pick the third book from the right. What gem will you discover?
Challenge #9
Your favorite authors were once kids too! Pick an author from this list and read one of their favorite books from when they were a child.
Grab Your Summer Library Reading Challenge Tracking Sheet
So have fun discovering new books this summer! And, don’t forget to print your free printable tracking sheet to keep track of your progress and your free printable challenge list to take to the library!
Summer Reading Ideas Related Posts
Tarisa says
This is such a great idea! I am printing it out to share with my families when they sign up for our Summer Reading program!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Tarisa, that is a fantastic idea! So smart!
susen @Dabbling Momma says
now we will love going to the library even more! Pinned!
Jodie Rodriguez says
That is what I like to hear. 🙂
Renuka mahesh says
This is what I needed! Awesome list of books that will stay on my bookshelf! Forever!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Great, enjoy!
Samantha @ Stir the Wonder says
These are seriously awesome ways to get new books to read! Thanks for linking up at the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop! We hope you join us again next week!
LindseyLoo says
What a great idea! I really like this. I’m going to pin it. Hopefully, we’ll be spending time at the library a lot this summer.
Thanks for joining the Laugh & Learn Linkup this week. Hope to see you again this Tuesday!
BTW, love your blog design. Very cute!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy your trips to the library.
Ashley Mullen says
I really like this idea. We tend to hit the library once a week. Might be fun to have a challenge for our trips! Pinning!
Jodie Rodriguez says
It is always fun to go on new adventures especially when you can discover new books. 🙂
Tammie Ulrich says
Do you have the challenges as a printable? I would love for my 3rd grader to have ownership of the list. Thanks!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Great idea Tammie! I’ll work on making that printable and add it to the post in the next day or two. Thanks for the suggestion.
Jodie Rodriguez says
Tammie, the printable you asked for is ready and can be found towards the end of the post!
Tammie Ulrich says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Heather H says
What fun! I can’t wait for our summer visits to the library. Pinning!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thank you Heather!
Jacquie says
Awesome ideas! I love the family name challenge 🙂 cute idea! Sharing in our summer reading post!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thanks Jacquie we had so much fun with the name challenge and the Caldecott year challenge.