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Summer Reading 2021

Thanks for joining us this summer! Help us make next year even better by filling out our quick survey at the link below!

Thank you so much for making our 2021 Summer Reading Program such a success! We were continually impressed by how much reading you did, and we were so delighted seeing you in virtual programs!

We're looking for feedback about how everyone's experiences were this summer, and were hoping you could tell us by filling out our quick survey here. It should take 3-5 minutes to complete and is anonymous. This is a big help to us, and helps inform our plans for next year's Summer Reading Program!

Thank you for giving us your feedback, and thank you for joining us for this year's Summer Reading Program!

This year's Summer Reading Program ran from June 19, 2021 to August 13, 2021.

Region 15 Suggested Summer Reading Lists

Your librarians and teachers have put together suggested reading lists to give you some reading recommendations over the summer. There's something for everyone, including classic and new titles. Take a look and see what books interest you. Contact us or put them on hold yourself and schedule a pickup time. 

Region 15 does not have a recreational reading list for high schoolers this year, though we are very happy to help you find books that will interest you. For class-specific assignments at Pomperaug High School, please visit your Google Classroom page. If you are having difficulty accessing what you need, contact PHS's guidance department at 203-262-3238.

Find everything you'll need for the 2021 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge, including a summer reading journal, student certificate, and suggested reading lists for grades K-12.

Summer Reading 2021 Rules

Tails and Tales: Animal Stories

For your summer reading goals, any type of reading counted (regular books, ebooks, listening to audiobooks, magazines, school book reading, reading out loud to someone else, etc.)

Hours only counted once you register for Summer Reading, so we recommended registering ASAP! You could enter in your times as often as you liked. All entries had to be received by 11:59 pm on Friday, August 13, 2021. No exceptions made.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library.

Age Groups

Children entering Kindergarten and younger may participate in our Pre-K Summer Reading: 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program. If you are under 5 and have already completed 1000 Books Before Kindergarten at the Southbury Public Library, you can choose to do it again or move up to our Elementary Summer Reading Program.

Read every day with a parent or caregiver. Each and every book you read counts. If you read the same book over and over, it counts each time! To log your reading, enter each title you read on READsquared, our online Summer Reading program.

Prizes:

Every Friday of Summer Reading, we have a weekly prize drawing for Pre-K summer reading participants!

Each week, one winner will be picked randomly to receive:

  • a brand new book, sponsored by the Connecticut State Library and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, AND
  • a $10 Amazon gift card, sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library

Drawing Dates:

  • Friday, June 25    
  • Friday, July 2
  • Friday, July 9     
  • Friday, July 16
  • Friday, July 23
  • Friday, July 30
  • Friday, August 6
  • Friday: August 13   

Fun Bonus Challenges:

Have some extra fun by participating in our bonus Summer Reading challenges! These activities are:

  • StoryWalk: Experience our first ever StoryWalk featuring Cat's Colors by Airlie Anderson! Take a stroll on the grounds of the library while reading this picture book. Come inside the library to pick up a special Cat's Colors take and make craft!
  • Alphabet Adventures: Starting Monday, June 21, tune into our Youth Services Facebook Page each weekday for a different activity for each letter of the alphabet. We will begin with the letter A on Monday, June 21. Do them all or pick and choose! Work at your own pace throughout the summer. Take a picture or tell us about your Alphabet Adventure on Facebook!
  • Book Bingo: You can also participate in our Tails & Tales Summer Book Bingo! Make Bingo by reading books in different fun categories to make rows across, vertically, or diagonally. This Book Bingo Summer Reading challenge is geared towards elementary age children in Grades 1-5 but anyone can participate.

There is no requirement and no pressure to participate. We want to make this summer as fun and easy as possible. 

Happy Reading!

Children reading independently entering Grades 1-5 may participate in our Children's Summer Reading Program. If you are under 5 and have already completed 1000 Books Before Kindergarten at the Southbury Public Library, you can choose to do it again or move up to our Elementary Summer Reading Program.

Read as much as you can this summer! Keep track of how much time you read in minutes or hours and log it in READsquared, our online Summer Reading program.

Prizes:

The more you read, the more entries you have to win our weekly prize drawings for a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Every Friday during Summer Reading, a random drawing based on hours read (one hour = one entry) will be held for a $25 Amazon Gift Card, with one winner chosen each week. Prizes are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library.

Prize Drawing Dates:

  • Friday, June 25  
  • Friday, July 2
  • Friday, July 9
  • Friday, July 16 
  • Friday, July 23   
  • Friday, July 30 
  • Friday, August 6
  • Friday, August 13

Bonus Points:

Similar to last year, there are other things you can do besides reading to earn points that count towards the weekly prize drawings! Those activities are:

  • StoryWalk: Experience our first ever StoryWalk featuring Cat's Colors by Airlie Anderson. Take a stroll on the grounds of the library while reading this picture book. Log this activity for 50 bonus points, the equivalent of half an hour of reading.
  • Book Bingo: You can also participate in our Tails & Tales Summer Book Bingo! Make Bingo by reading books in different fun categories to make rows across, vertically, or diagonally. Every bingo completed earns you 100 bonus points, the equivalent of one hour of reading. 
  • Virtual Program Attendance: Log 100 bonus points for each virtual children's event you attend.
  • Alphabet Adventures: Starting Monday, June 21, tune into our Youth Services Facebook Page each weekday for a different activity for each letter of the alphabet. We will begin with the letter A on Monday, June 21. Do them all or pick and choose. Work at your own pace throughout the summer. If you log your Alphabet Adventure in READsquared, you can earn 10 bonus points for each letter. This Summer Reading challenge is geared towards preschool children under age 5 but anyone can participate.

Point system: 

For the way READsquared counts time read and bonus points, each hour read is converted to 100 points. Below are the point values for time read and the bonus challenges so you can see how they compare. One hour or 100 points count as one entry into each week's prize drawing.

  • 1 hour = 100 points
  • 1 minute = 1.67 points
  • StoryWalk = 50 points (equivalent to half an hour)
  • Completed Book Bingo = 100 points (equivalent to one hour)
  • Alphabet Adventures: Each Letter = 10 points (equivalent to six minutes)
  • Virtual program attendance = 100 points (equivalent to one hour)

There is no requirement and no pressure to participate. We want to make this summer as fun and easy as possible.  

Happy Reading!

Tweens and teens entering Grades 6-12 (or Class of 2021 12th Grade graduates) can participate in our Teen Summer Reading Program! You can earn raffle tickets towards weekly gift card prizes with your time read, join us for fun virtual events, or participate in one of our bonus challenges like Book Bingo or a Photo Scavenger Hunt. 

Hourly Raffle

Once you register for summer reading, keep track of your time reading! Like years past, for every hour you read, you earn one raffle ticket. Enter your tickets each week for the chance to win one of the $25 gift card prizes below. Don't like one week's prize? Save your tickets for a week you're interested in! All submitted tickets are entered in for the Grand Prize $125 Visa Gift Card, drawn on Friday, August 13.

Like last year, registration and hour tracking will all be online through READsquared this year. Instead of physical raffle tickets, each hour you read will earn you points. One hour read is 100 points. Those 100 points can be used to "buy" one raffle ticket towards your interested prize. You can start purchasing raffle tickets for a given prize the Saturday before the drawing. For each day listed (except August 13), raffle tickets are due by 10:00pm. Winners will be drawn the following Monday and notified.

Prize Schedule:

  • Friday, June 25: $25 Starbucks Gift Card    
  • Friday, July 2:  $25 Riverview Cinemas Gift Card
  • Friday, July 9: $25 Game Store Gift Card (Winner's choice of Playstation, XBox, Steam, or Nintendo eStore)    
  • Friday, July 16: $25 Nail Salon   
  • Friday, July 23: $25 App Store Gift Card (Winner's choice of Apple App Store or Google Play Store)    
  • Friday, July 30: $25 Ulta Gift Card
  • Friday, August 6: $25 Rich's Farm Gift Card
  • Friday: August 13: $25 Amazon Store Gift Card    
  • Friday August 13: Teen Grand Prize: $125 Visa Gift Card

All submitted tickets go into the Grand Prize, a $125 Visa Gift Card. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2021.

Bonus Challenges:

Similar to last year, there are other things you can do besides reading to earn points that count towards the raffle prizes (or just for fun!). These activities are:

  • ARK Missions: These Acts of (not so) Random Kindness can earn you points towards raffle tickets. Each ARK completed earns 100 points. Find out more in the Missions tab of READsquared.
  • Book Reviews: When you enter in your time read, there's an option to add your thoughts about a book. Review your book and earn 20 bonus points per review!
  • Virtual Program Attendance and To-Go Craft Kits: Each virtual program you attend will have a secret code- this code earns you an extra 100 points. Complete a To-Go Craft Kit for another 100 bonus points. Enter your codes into the Program & Craft Bonus Points section of READsquared.
  • Photo Scavenger Hunt: We've got a photo based scavenger hunt that can also earn you bonus points! Find out more in the Missions tab of READsquared.
Point system: 
  • 1 hour = 100 points
  • 1 minute = 1.67 points
  • ARK (Acts of Not So Random Kindness) Challenge = 100 points
  • Book Review = 20 points
  • Virtual program attendance = 100 points

How to "Buy" Raffle Tickets with Points:

  • Every 100 points is equal to one raffle ticket.
  • Prize raffles open up the week prior to the drawing date listed.
  • To purchase raffle tickets for this week's prize, go to the "Home" page of READsquared and click on the "Raffle" button in the center of the screen.
  • Next, press the "Get Tickets" button. You can then click on the raffle listed to get tickets for that raffle.
  • If you are interested in spending tickets on later items, save your points for future weeks.

Book Bingo

Compete in this year's 2021 Book Bingo for Grades 6-12! Make bingo by reading books that fit the listed categories! Making bingo (or multiples) can earn you raffle entries for a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

  • One raffle entry for each row you complete (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) and get one entry into the raffle
  • Complete the whole card and get twenty bonus entries into the raffle!

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2021. The winner will be drawn from eligible entries then be notified.

Virtual Programming

See below for our children and teen summer reading events, or click here for a list of just teen summer reading events. All of our programs are virtual this year, except for our to-go craft kits. For all virtual programs, registration is required.