Beanstack Reading Challenges
The Buchanan District Library wants to encourage everyone to be life-long readers, and to that end we're posting Beanstack Challenges throughout the year to engage readers of all ages. Scroll down to read more about Beanstack and our current challenges!
What is Beanstack? Beanstack is the app the library uses for Summer Reading and other reading challenges. Beanstack helps you keep track of all the books you read. When you create a Beanstack account for yourself or your family, you’re instantly connected to the library’s reading programs, so you’ll get credit for every minute and every page. We’ll keep all your stats for you, cheer you on while you work towards your program goals, and let you know when you’ve earned prizes. When your library’s program ends, you keep your account, and your reading history—it’s always free, and you can keep right on logging your leisure reading. When the next library program comes around, no need to re-register—just click on it, and you’re in. Download the Beanstack Tracker app or go here to get started!
Need some tips on how to get started with Beanstack? Check out our How Do I Use Beanstack page!
All Ages Beanstack Challenges
Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt Bingo The Buchanan Scarecrow Charities outdo themselves every year with their awesome scarecrows! Go on a Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt and check them out! Fill in your bingo card by finding the featured scarecrows around Buchanan. Get a bingo and earn a small prize. Fill your bingo card and be entered to win a larger prize! This challenge is open to all ages and will run September 1 through October 31, 2024*.
**Note- while the scarecrows should be up through Halloween, the sponsor signs usually start coming down a few days before that, so don't wait until the last minute!**
Youth Beanstack Challenges
Smokey Bear Reading Challenge : Help Smokey celebrate his 80th birthday by learning how to prevent wildfires and help the environment! Read 3 books on wildfire prevention or the environment and earn 4 activity badges to complete the challenge and earn your prize! Start by taking Smokey’s Pledge. Badges are earned by completing at least one activity in each section. This challenge is geared toward children ages 4 to 10, but all ages are welcome. This challenge will run from May 1 to November 28, 2024 to complete this challenge.
If you would like a paper log to complete this challenge, you can pick up a copy of Smokey's pledge, book log, and activities log at the library, or download it here. To view Smokey's Reading list, check out our Smokey Bear book list on Beanstack, or go here. For more fun Smokey Bear and wildfire activities, visit SmokeyBear.com or the following webpages:
1000 Books Before Kindergarten: This challenge promotes early literacy skills for children from birth to age six and encourages parent and child bonding through reading. Reading helps build social and emotional skills, sparks creativity and imagination, and helps kids do well overall in school. It doesn't matter if your child is three, or just three months - there's no better time to start than now! Take that motivation, open one book, and get started. And remember, 1000 is just a number. The goal is to work reading aloud into your regular routine, and let the magic of stories do the rest. This is an ongoing challenge with no end date, and readers can participate in this challenge at the same time as other challenges. Parents, don’t forget to pick up your welcome packet at the library.
500 Books Before Middle School: Kids ages 5-11, are you up to the challenge? Read 500 books before middle school! Log your reading to earn badges along the way. Every 100 books you read earns you a pin-on button! This is an ongoing challenge with no end date, and readers can participate in this challenge at the same time as other challenges.
100 Books Before Graduation: Teens and pre-teens ages 11-19, read 100 books before graduating, log your reading in Beanstack, and earn a new set of badges, as well as a pin-on button at 50 and 100 books! This is an ongoing challenge with no end date, and readers can participate in this challenge at the same time as other challenges.
Reading Dragons: This challenge is open to kids ages 5-17 and will run from September 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. Here there be dragons! Join us for our Reading Dragons challenge and earn your own magical menagerie! Earn a family of mythical creature cards for each week you read. A family includes 4 cards featuring the egg, baby, teen, and adult of the creature. Each 30 minutes of reading will earn you a creature card, earning up to 1 family of cards per week. Collect the featured weekly card set or choose from a selection of other available cards. After you earn your digital creature cards, stop by the library to pick up the physical cards. Use the cards to play your own card games! Click here to learn how to play 2 card games with your Reading Dragons cards.
Adult Beanstack Challenges
