Questions? Email Casey at cpetipas-haggerty@minlib.net or call 978-897-1010 x102

Summer Challenges & Categories

 

What are Summer Challenges and Categories?

• Summer Challenges are things you can do at home or in the library to earn Bonus prizes.

• Categories reward reading specific genres, themes, and formats with bonus prizes, and double-dipping is allowed. 

  • How does double-dipping work? If you listen to the digital audio book of This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, it can be listed as a Read Along and Plant a Seed. 

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Coming Soon: Download the printable/pdf list of Summer Challenges & Categories descriptions.

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​How to Log Summer Challenges & Categories

1. In the Reader Zone app, open the Summer Challenges & Categories activity.

2. Enter the number of Summer Challenges you've completed or Categories you've read in and that you want to log and tap "Confirm Entry".

3. Add a photo if the Summer Challenge you are logging requires one OR go to your Book Bank and add the book(s) for your Category entry. *If it is NOT a Teen Choice Book Award nominee, please say NO when asked "Make this an entry in your reading program?"* 

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Every 3 entries will earn you a bonus prize from the Prize Cart.

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Summer Challenges

Scavenger Hunts: There are 4 Scavenger Hunts this summer!

• Mr. Mark has 3 scavenger hunts available at the Children's Desk. Upload the photo of your completed scavenger hunt sheet to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenges & Category entry. Each of Mr. Mark's Scavenger Hunts can be done once.

• Teen Photo Scavenger Hunt: Find 10 things that fulfill the Scavenger Hunt list and take a photo of them - you can be creative with what fulfills the list items, but you need 10 different items. Upload the photo to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenges & Category entry. This scavenger hunt can be done anywhere, and can be done multiple times, so long as what you find is different each time! (PDF of Scavenger Hunt list)

  • Yellow flower​

  • Vegetable

  • Fruit

  • Farm animal

  • Butterfly

  • Bee

  • Gardening tool​

  • Garden statue or figurine

  • Something blue

  • Hat​

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Build a Puzzle: Build any puzzle 100 pieces or larger. Upload a photo of the completed puzzle to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenges & Category entry. You can make an entry for each different puzzle you make.

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Take a Shelfie: It's a selfie, but for your bookshelf! Share the photo of your bookshelf or a shelf in the library that holds some of your favorite titles to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenges & Category entry.

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Pay it Forward: Perform a random act of kindness, big or small, or spend 1 hour volunteering.

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Taste Test: Try a new food, a new restaurant, or a new recipe. Take a photo of the food and upload it to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenges & Category entry. Check the 641.3's - 641.8s in the childrens, teen, or adult nonfiction sections for cookbooks!

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​Garden Tour: Go for a walk around town and enjoy the sight of people's gardens! Day trips or vacations to places with gardens, like the Acton Arboretum or the Boston Public Garden, count too. Just remember to be respectful - don't enter private property, don't pick the flowers from people's yards, be kind to the gardeners, and be mindful that any photos you take don't violate anyone else's privacy. Upload a photo of a garden you saw on your walk to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenge & Category entry. 

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Create: Write a short story (at least 1 page long) or create artwork related to this year's Summer Library Club theme: Plant a Seed, Read which focuses on gardening, agriculture, food, and growing things! Blank paper will be available in the Teen Room, along with colored pencils. Upload a photo of your short story or artwork (it does not have to show the entire thing) to Reader Zone when making your Summer Challenge & Category entry.

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Categories

Plant a Seed: Read a book with a setting, plot, characters, or thematic elements related to this year's Summer Library Club theme: Plant a Seed, Read, which focuses on gardening, agriculture, food, and growing things!

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Page to Screen: Watch a movie, mini-series, or at least 3 episodes of a TV series based on a book (video games count, too) OR read a book or listen to an audio book that has been turned into a movie, mini-series, television show, or video game. Book spin-offs from films and television shows count. Ex: Slayer by Kiersten White, set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe or the Star Wars expanded universe titles. Page to Screen booklist

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New Book: Read a book or listen to an audio book found on the New Books shelves anywhere in the Maynard Library or anywhere else - like another library, the Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton, Amazon, Target - so long as it's labeled "NEW" or was published in 2025 or 2026. 

 

New-to-You: Try something new! This can mean trying a new format, such as graphic novels or audio books, a new author, or a new genre. You aren't limited to books! Try a new video game format or watch something new on tv.

 

Nonfiction: Read or listen to a nonfiction title or watch a documentary.

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Read Together: Read or listen to an audio book with a friend or family member. This includes reading books to younger siblings or children you babysit. This is a perfect activity for a road trip!

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Short Stories: Read or listen to a collection of short stories or essays. They're great for when you want to read something but don't have a lot of time, or if you want to read a bunch of stories about the same theme! Look for the "Short Stories" sticker when browsing in the library.

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​Just for Fun

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Some summer-related activities are intended as fun ways to spend time at the library. They do not count towards bonus prizes. However, your visit to the library does! All of the activities listed below will be in the Teen Room on the 3rd Floor.

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This year, there will be:

• Word searches, word puzzles, & sudoku

• Theme-related coloring pages, color by number, & dot-to-dots.

• Crafts

  • July 6-25: Velvet Flower Craft​

  • July 27-August 15: Scratch Art

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