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Reading Challenge

Library Enrollment

Celebrate Smokey’s 80th Birthday by joining the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge and engage youth in reading about wildfire prevention, forests, and natural resource careers while they explore their local environment.

This challenge can be run through a printable challenge paper log (see Digital Toolkit below) as well as through the online Beanstack platform.

The challenge is designed to complement the 2024 Collaborative Summer Reading Program theme of “Adventure Begins at Your Library” as well as the iREAD Summer Reading Program theme of “Read, Renew, Repeat.”

When

Libraries can run the challenge anytime from January 1st to November 28th, 2024. 

Who

Challenge is geared for ages 4 to 10, but all ages are welcome.

How

Access the digital toolkit which contains everything needed to promote and implement the challenge, including:

Physical Incentive Items:

Limited numbers of physical incentive kits, including 500 Smokey Stickers and a Smokey Stamp, may be available to libraries whose state programs have NOT enrolled in the challenge on a first come, first serve basis. A list of enrolled state libraries can be found below.

Please reach out to Mandy Scott at amanda.scott@usda.gov for more information. Please note that we are only able to provide physical incentive kits to public libraries.

Not a public library? We welcome your participation through the digital toolkit.

Additionally, free incentive items can be ordered through the Natural Inquirer. Suggested items include:

Thank you to the Georgia Public Library Service for helping to develop this program.

Enrolled State Libraries

The following states have enrolled their public library systems in the reading challenge. If you are a public library in one of these states, please reach out to your state (or regional) youth librarian for more information on additional support materials that may be available.

Please note that not all libraries in these states are participating in the challenge. If your library is not participating, we welcome your engagement through the Individual Enrollment page.