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Fort Bend County Libraries presents special reading challenges during the summer to encourage reading among children from birth and up, as well as teens and adults. “Tails & Tales” is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Online registration for the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge will begin on Monday, May 31, and continue through August 31.

Children from infancy through school-age are invited to read a lot of great books to kick off a great summer! Younger children will enjoy the “Youth Summer Reading Challenge,” while students in grades 6-8 can participate in the “Middle School Summer Challenge.” Teens in high school can participate with adults in the “YA/Adult Summer Reading Challenge.”

In June, virtual activities will be posted each week on the Summer Reading Challenge page on the Fort Bend County Libraries website. Created by the FBCL Youth librarians, videos of activities will be posted at 10:00 am each day, according to the following schedule:

Mondays – Little Bits (infants 1-12 months of age)

Tuesdays – Activity Time Tuesday (grades K-3)

Wednesdays – Family Story Time (all ages)

Thursdays – TRL (Think Read Learn) (grades 4-8)

Fort Bend County Libraries will also post video links on the Summer Reading Challenge page on the “FBCL Virtual Programs & Educational Resources” Facebook group page.

Families of toddlers and preschoolers may pick up to-go activity packets from the library for the month. These packets contain fun craft activities that can be done at home.

There is no charge to join the Summer Reading Challenge, and it is open to everyone, regardless of the county of residence. Participants may pre-register online by going to the FBCL website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) and clicking on the “SRC Sign-Up” image, which will become available on May 31. When the online registration form has been completed, readers will then have their own online page on which to record their books and reading time.

Participants may also register and log books/reading time by downloading the free Beanstack Tracker app to their mobile device from the Apple App or Google Play stores. Fort Bend County Libraries and the Summer Reading Challenge will appear as options when the program starts on May 31.

Reading rewards can be redeemed beginning Monday, June 7. The last day to pick up awards is August 31. Prizes must be collected from the “primary library of use” that the reader indicated on the registration form.

The Summer Reading Challenge is sponsored by Fort Bend County Libraries, the Friends organizations that support the county library system, and by the Collaborative Summer Library Program, a consortium of states working together to provide high-quality children’s summer-reading program materials for public libraries.

Summer Reading Challenge for Children

Younger children are encouraged to read or listen to as many books as they can and they will earn rewards based on the total number of books they read or have read to them. For the first five books read, the child will receive a bookmark. The rewards continue with a certificate for 10 books, a color-changing cup or ruler for 15 books, and a reading trophy for the first 20 books read. For every 20 books read, the participant’s name will also be written on a picture of a whale or dragon.

Drawings for puppets will take place weekly. The names of readers who complete the goal of reading 20 books or more will be entered into a drawing for gift cards -- donated by the Friends of the Library organizations -- from area stores. One winner from each library location will be selected in a drawing that will take place on September 1.

Middle School Summer Challenge

Area readers in grades 6-8 can participate in the Middle School Summer Challenge by logging online the time they spend reading.

Middle School youth who read for 600 minutes (10 hours) will receive a color-changing cup. Participants who read for 1200 minutes (20 hours) will receive their choice of a reading trophy or a mystery prize.  The names of participants who complete 20 hours of reading will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card -- donated by the Friends of the library -- that will be awarded to a lucky reader at each branch library in a drawing that will take place on September 1.

 YA/Adult Summer Reading Challenge

Adults of all ages, including young adults in high school, may participate in the YA/Adult SRC by logging online the time they spend reading.

All YA and adult readers who complete the goal of reading for 1,000 minutes will earn a sport drawstring backpack, while supplies last. In addition, the names of participants who log at least 1,000 minutes of reading time will be entered into a drawing for a $25-gift card – donated by the Friends of the library -- that will be awarded to one lucky reader at each branch library in a drawing that will take place on August 27.

An ultimate grand prize will be awarded to one lucky YA/adult reader in the library system. Participants in the YA/Adult Summer Reading Challenge who complete the program by logging 1,000 minutes of reading time will be entered into a drawing for a 16 GB Fire HD 8 tablet with a red case, which will be awarded to one winner in the library system on August 27. The last day to pick up awards is August 31.

 For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), or call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).