The Seward Memorial Library is inviting readers of all ages to spend their summer turning pages and earning rewards through its annual Summer Reading Challenges.
This summer’s theme is “Unearth a Story.”
Running from the beginning of June through the end of July, the program encourages children, teens and adults to keep reading throughout the summer while enjoying the chance to win prizes and participate in friendly community competition.
The library’s summer reading program is designed to make reading fun and accessible for everyone. Participants can stop by the library to sign up for the challenge that matches their age group.
For younger readers, infants through fourth grade can participate in the Kid Challenge. Children receive a punch card and mark a space for each day they read. Once seven days of reading have been completed, participants turn in their card and receive a new one. The more completed cards they submit, the more chances they have to win prizes through the library’s summer drawings.
Students in fifth grade through high school can join the Teen Challenge. Teen readers earn punches by completing books throughout the summer. Their punch cards are kept at the library, and participants simply report how many books they have finished when returning materials. Completed cards are entered into prize drawings.
Adults can take part in the Adult Challenge, which includes a friendly competition with the York Public Library for the annual “Smackdown” trophy. Adult participants receive punch cards and track the books they read throughout the summer. Weekly standings are posted so readers can follow Seward’s progress in the competition. Completed cards are entered into drawings, and participants can also enjoy candy during library visits throughout the summer.
In addition to the summer reading challenges, the library continues to offer its popular Reading Dragons program for children ages 5 to 17. The free collectible card program combines reading with interactive gameplay and rewards.
Children who sign up receive a dragon tracker where they log their reading sessions. Every box on the tracker equals 30 minutes of reading, and a variety of reading formats count toward the goal, including independent reading, audiobooks, graphic novels, and being read to by others. Parents or guardians help verify reading progress by signing completed sections of the tracker.
Participants can earn collectible dragon-themed cards featuring dragons, unicorns, griffins, and other fantasy creatures. New dragon families become available each month, and special cards, including holographic and event-exclusive designs, are distributed throughout the program. Children can also battle and trade cards with friends, adding an extra layer of excitement that helps motivate reluctant readers and build lifelong reading habits. Registration and participation information is available at the Seward Memorial Library.
