Reading Challenges

Please join us in reading this year’s Wyoming Book Award nominees!  

The Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Literacy Association jointly sponsor three awards:

• Buckaroo Book Award for children in grades K-3
• Indian Paintbrush Book Award for children in grades 4-6
• Soaring Eagle Book Award for youth in grades 7-12

The purpose of these awards is to provide an opportunity for the youth of Wyoming to read and select favorite books and to honor the authors of those books.  Students read the nominated titles throughout the year and then vote on their favorites in March.  Winners are announced the, along with the next year’s nominees.

All of this year’s nominees are available at the library in various formats – we have print books and ebooks (through Libby and Hoopla, Playaway audiobooks and eaudiobooks (through Libby and Hoopla), and our newest format, Wonderbooks, which are print books with a built-in Playaway for those who would like to listen and read.

We also have extra copies of each nominee that are held in reserve at the youth desk.  Buckaroo nominees may be checked out from the youth desk for in library use only and Indian Paintbrush and Soaring Eagle nominees may be borrowed from the youth desk for 7 days.

Boost your child’s early literacy skills by reading and tracking 1,000 books before kindergarten! 

The goal is simple: Read 1,000 books before Kindergarten to help prepare your child for academic success.  We make it easy to participate with our 1K B4 K Kits. Librarians have put 10 curated books into a bag specifically with the goal of completing this challenge.    Check out one bag at a time or a few at once.  With 100 bags total and 10 books in each, this goal is easy and attainable. Bags can be checked out for three weeks and Bags can also be renewed if you need a little more time. Track your progress with the Beanstack app or on a piece of paper.

To track on Beanstack:

• Sign up for the challenge on Beanstack.
• Check out a 1KB4K bag.
• READ!
• When you read all the books in the bag, look for the kit number on the bag or the cover sheet and check that bag completed in the “Activities” tab on Beanstack.
• Once you check all the bags, you have completed the challenge!

What if you don’t love a book in one of the kits or you don’t really want another app on your phone? This is totally fine!  Choose your own 1,000 books and write down their titles on a piece of paper or track them in a reading journal. You could also use one of our Grab & Go kits to replace an entire 1KB4K kit.  Do you come to Story Time at the library? Those books count too!  The point is just to read!

Did you complete our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge? That’s amazing!  Do you want to keep going?  Of course you do!  Please join our reading challenge for kids in grades 2-5!

• Sign up for the challenge on Beanstack.
• READ!
• Log each book completed.
  • Aim for reading 2-4 books per week, starting with Beginning Readers titles, and progressing from there
  • Count any format books--including graphic novels, audiobooks, Playaways, and e-books
  • Count books you read aloud together, or that teachers and reading groups read in school
• Encourage your child with mini milestone celebrations

Why read 500 books before middle school? This nationwide program supports your child's quest for reading! Reading (at least) 500 books before reaching middle school fosters curiosity and empathy, supports school readiness and achievement and encourages voice and choice. It also inspires a deep and lifelong love of reading!