Gather your crew and get ready to read! Our 2023 Summer Reading Challenge begins on May 27 and ends on August 5. Join us as we work together to find new stories, new friends, and new experiences. You’ll earn chances to win one of our fabulous prizes, as well as free tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals game!
But I don’t want to read. Reading is boring!
Summer is your chance to read whatever you want! With our reading game sheet, you can pick out 20 activities to do to complete the challenge. Some activities might ask you to read a certain kind of book, help out in your community, participate in events, and more. You can also stack activities together – for example, if you read a graphic novel for 30 minutes on a Wednesday, then you’ve just completed 3 activities! If you’re stumped on what books to read, you can try one from our list of suggestions, or ask one of our friendly librarians for a recommendation.
Can my baby sister participate? What about my older brother in high school?
Yep, they can participate too, including your parents! Our Summer Reading Challenge is open to all ages, though we have different game sheets for adults and for kids ages 5 and under. Maybe you could challenge your parents to see who can finish their game sheet first!
Parent here. We’re busy this summer! Besides, they read all school year. Don’t they need a break?
It doesn’t hurt to take break, but the summer is a long time for young brains. Research has shown that kids tend to forget some of the information and skills they learned during the school year while they’re home for the summer. This “summer slide” means that they need more time at beginning of the new school year to review topics they already learned. Reading throughout the summer can help them remember what they learned, making them better prepared to start the new school year. If time is a factor, consider reading in the car, or sharing a story before bedtime. Audiobooks are also a great option, and with Libby, Hoopla, and your library card, you can download audiobooks to your phone or other device to play anywhere!
Okay, you’ve convinced me. How do I sign up?
Fantastic! Registration for the 2023 Summer Reading Challenge begins on May 27. Grab an adult and have them register using the form below, or come by the library and fill out a paper form. Once you’ve registered, we’ll give you a packet containing your reading game sheet and other information. You then have until August 5 to return your game sheet to get a reward and a chance to earn one of our fabulous grand prizes. You can also keep the challenge going by getting one of our bonus game sheets to earn more chances for a grand prize! Plus, we’ll be giving away ticket vouchers for St. Louis Cardinals games this summer!
We’re also planning fun special events! Check out what we have planned below, take a look at our calendar, or sign up for our weekly Wowbrary newsletter! Adults, you can find your events here: Adult Summer Reading Challenge.
| Date | Event | Description | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 3 at 10 am | Stories and Songs for Little Ones | Join us for some stories and songs for your littlest readers! We’ll also enjoy some time to play and make new friends. For children ages 0-5 and their adult caregivers. | No registration needed |
| Tuesday, June 6 from 12-3:30 pm | OCOH COVID-19 Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic | Need your first COVID-19 vaccine or booster? We can help! Thanks to a partnership with Our Community, Our Health, BJC HealthCare, and Washington University School of Medicine, we will be hosting a vaccine pop-up clinic! | No registration needed |
| Wednesday, June 14 at 10 am | Stories and Songs for Little Ones | Join us for some stories and songs for your littlest readers! We’ll also enjoy some time to play and make new friends. For children ages 0-5 and their adult caregivers. | No registration needed |
| Thursday, June 15 at 6 pm | Rhythms and Folklore of Africa | Kenya Ajanaku highlights cultural diversity through stories and illustrates African culture in an entertaining way. Audience participation involves hand-picked students dancing and playing traditional African instruments. | No registration needed |
| Saturday, June 17 from 9-12 pm | Orchestrating Diversity Open Rehearsal | Listen while this community orchestra prepares for upcoming performances. Orchestrating Diversity offers free classical music education to young students in an intensified summer educational program, and free year-round ongoing training for graduates of the summer program. | No registration needed |
| Saturday, June 24 at 2 pm | Perler Bead a Palooza | Make a melty bead masterpiece with us! We’ll provide all the supplies and some ideas to get you started. For kids and teens. | Register here |
| Tuesday, June 27 at 10 am | Fingerpaint Fun | If your little artist likes to paint, then come to Fingerpaint Fun! Please come prepared to get messy. For children 5 and under and their caregivers. | Register here |
| Thursday, June 29 from 1-5 pm | College Connections Center | Do you want to go to college, but don’t know how to start? The Missouri College Advising Corps can help! An advisor will be at the library to provide one-on-one help with filling out the FAFSA, helping with your college search, finding scholarship money, and more. | No registration needed |
| Saturday, July 1 at 10 am | Stories and Songs for Little Ones | Join us for some stories and songs for your littlest readers! We’ll also enjoy some time to play and make new friends. For children ages 0-5 and their adult caregivers. | No registration needed |
| Saturday, July 8 at 10 am | Popsicles with a Pup | Come meet Ember and the Ferguson Fire Department at the library! Enjoy popsicles and make pet toys out old t-shirts, jeans, and other items. You can take your toy home for your pet, or leave it at the library to donate to an animal rescue. | No registration needed |
| Wednesday, July 12 at 10 am | Stories and Songs for Little Ones | Join us for some stories and songs for your littlest readers! We’ll also enjoy some time to play and make new friends. For children ages 0-5 and their adult caregivers. | No registration needed |
| Monday, July 17 from 5-7:30 pm | Bike Rodeo | Calling all bicyclists! Head over to the library for a good old-fashioned BIKE RODEO! Trailnet will be on hand to teach you all the safety information you need to know before your next bike ride. We’ll check to see that your helmet fits properly, your brakes are in working order, and your tires are fully pumped up before going over the rules of the road and giving you plenty of time to practice your riding and safety skills. | Register here |
| Thursday, July 27 from 1-5 pm | College Connections Center | Do you want to go to college, but don’t know how to start? The Missouri College Advising Corps can help! An advisor will be at the library to provide one-on-one help with filling out the FAFSA, helping with your college search, finding scholarship money, and more. | No registration needed |
| Saturday, August 5 at 10 am | Stories and Songs for Little Ones | Join us for some stories and songs for your littlest readers! We’ll also enjoy some time to play and make new friends. For children ages 0-5 and their adult caregivers. | No registration needed |