Color Our World

Posted on: May 30, 2025

Pop quiz: How long does the summer last? Most people would say it’s a few months long; some years, that’s a generous assessment. Behind the scenes at CADL, summer lasts all year. When one summer ends, we immediately start examining what worked and what didn’t, looking ahead to the future, and figuring out how we can make next year’s The Best Summer Ever. We geek out over prizes. We vet performers. We obsess over reading logs. By the time everyone else is thinking about summer, our anticipation has reached a fever pitch.

Join the Challenge

All that contemplation has resulted in a couple of exciting changes to our Summer Reading Challenge. This year, instead of asking participants to log how many minutes they read each day, we are simply asking: Did you read today, period? If so, give yourself a point! Points can also be earned by completing fun optional activities (yes, kids can earn a point by telling a joke to someone who works at the library, so start browsing the 818s) and writing (or drawing!) book reviews.

Print out a reading log or pick up at any CADL branch.

Kids Teens Adults Babies & Toddlers

Summer reading programs aim to combat the infamous “summer slide”: the period between one school year and the next when learning gains made during the year tend to falter. One of the goals of the new format is to keep participants reading for longer and engaging with the library more often during the process. The reading is still self-paced, and there will be some who finish the challenge early on while others stretch it out over the course of the summer. There is no preferred way to complete the Summer Reading Challenge. We encourage all reading styles and are always happy to see you in the library.

We’ve also made a big change to our prizes. In the past, readers needed to complete the entire challenge to earn their final goodie: a book. This year we’re putting the books front and center, making them the rightful star of the show. After completing the first level, all under-18 readers will earn a free book. Books are our mission, and what better way to start the summer than with a shiny new one? Fostering a book-rich environment in the home makes it likelier that children will succeed academically and grow up to be lifelong learners. The book is only one of the great prizes that we’re offering, and there are some sweet surprises for those who keep reading.

The Summer Reading Challenge is only one aspect of what makes summer the most vibrant time in the library. Staff have spent months curating a roster of the best performers around, from magicians and artists to musicians and animal wranglers. They’ve also poured their creativity into homegrown programs that encourage learning, experimentation, and fun. Regular events like storytimes and book clubs will continue to shine, too.

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It’s summer at CADL. We’ve been waiting all year for this, and we can’t wait for you to be a part of it.