The Reading Challenge
Ah yes, another Sunday. The excitement of National Library Week is upon us and before we know it - it will be World Book Day and Copyright Day.
I thought I would write a bit about reading encouragement and motivation this week.
What motivated me to read from the time I was young was a challenge. I was involved in them through our local library. Libraries usually offer these to support literacy development and help counter the summer slide.
Anticipating what might be available to read was exciting to me. It was during the summer program that I challenged myself to read many different genres. I basically devoured the books as incentives were awarded like prize packs and certificates. After completing the book, it was my responsibility to list and discuss the books in my summer program.
Here are some youth programs that caught my eye as I enjoy aquariums and have toured and written about the Armstrong Museum.
In addition to the Libraries, there are many television stations, stores, and entertainment venues that offer summer reading programs and incentives as well so you may wish to check out your local area.
An adult reading challenge is something you can do on your own or with others. When it comes to reading challenges for adults, I think it's important to have a goal in mind.
Here is a link to see our literacy rates in the United States by state.
Do you want to read more, or expand to a new genre?
Here are a few ideas to get you started. You can challenge yourself to place titles you haven't read in a jar and select from the jar and that selection you read. You could challenge yourself to pick and read a book from a free library, read a Noble Prize Winner you haven't read, read by a selected location, read a book with a number in the title, read a book that has been translated or possibly read an author that shares your first name.
Here are a few other links of interest
https://kentuckyliteracy.org/initiatives/krp/
https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/libraries/youth/srp