Summer Reading

The Des Moines Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge has begun. You can register at any of our six locations or below here on the Summer Reading Challenge page. When you register for the Summer Reading Challenge, you'll immediately receive a free book!

Work your way through our challenge program by reading for 20 minutes or completing various learning activities. Once the challenge is complete, turn in your worksheet and you'll get a small prize and be eligible for the big prizes in our end-of-summer drawing.

There are three different categories this year: one for kids up through kindergarten, one for grades 1-5, and one for grades 6-12.

SIGN UP NOW

• You get a new book just by signing up!
• Each time you read for 20 minutes or complete a learning activity, cross off a space on your All Summer Long log.
  • Each log comes with a list of suggested activities, which are also listed below.
• When you cross off all the spaces, return the completion slip to any of our library locations. You'll receive a small prize and be eligible for our grand prize drawing.
• Slips must be returned by August 5 to be eligible for the prize drawing.
• The program may be completed as many times as you want. Each time you complete the challenge, you'll receive another small prize of your choice. You'll also receive another entry into our grand prize drawing. Finish the challenge multiple times to increase your chances of winning!

DMPL Summer Reading Cinema Clubhouse Series

We're partnering with Varsity Cinema for a weekend matinee book-to-film series all June long. Watch a different family movie every Saturday selected by DMPL librarians as part of the Summer Reading cinema Clubhouse Series. Admission is required to view the movies.

Cinema Clubhouse Schedule (all movies begin at 1 PM)

• June 10 & 11: Fantastic Mr. Fox
• June 17 & 18: The Lorax
• June 24 & 25: Where the Wild Things Are

Sign up on Beanstack

Printable Logs

All logs are in English and Spanish. All logs are .pdf documents.

• Simple Steps for Summer Literacy (Birth to Kindergarten)
• Summer Reading Challenge (Grades 1-5)
• Summer Reading Challenge (Grades 6-12)

Summer Checkout Challenge

Adults - Check out the DMPL Summer Checkout Challenge! Complete the challenge once to receive a free “finisher” sticker and receive an entry into our grand prize drawing, a Super Reader Prize Pack full of local goodies. Each time you complete the challenge, you’ll receive another entry! Learn more at the Summer Checkout Challenge website or by asking a staff member at your library.

Registration Prize

Choose a book among a selection provided by the library when you sign up

Grand Prize

One winner will be chosen for each of the three age groups across the entire system.

Each winner receives the branch-level prize (see below) and a private DMPL program/experience. For example, you might choose a sensory play/storytime program, a Rosie pizza and slime making party, or an after-hours teen gaming party.

Branch Prizes

One winner chose from each age group at each location, including digitally through Beanstack.

Newborn - Grade K

Simple Steps prize pack: Board/Picture books, stacking stones

Elementary (Grades 1-5)

Lego set with collection of Lego books

Middle/High School (Grades 6-12)

$50 VISA gift card and snacks

Completion Prize

Receive one each time you complete the challenge

Choice of fidget, finger puppet, zipper bracelet, bookmark, rubber duck, stress ball.

Newborn - Grade K Activities

READ

• Read signs and point to letters around your home or neighborhood.
• Point to pictures and words in a book as you read.
• Check out a STEM or
• literacy kit from the library.
• Attend a library storytime.

WRITE

• Practice holding a crayon or pencil.
• Complete a puzzle together.
• Practice counting fingers and toes.
• Draw a picture and talk about it.

SING

• Sing a song with words that rhyme.
• Sing a lullaby or song at bedtime.
• Play music with household items.
• Make up a silly song about cleaning up your toys.

PLAY

• Pretend to be a community helper and act out their day.
• Play together with friends or siblings.
• Build a blanket fort with your family.
• Practice making faces in a mirror based on different emotions.

TALK

• Identify simple shapes in your neighborhood.
• Describe and compare items in your house based on size, shape, or color.
• Practice color identification in the grocery store.
• Talk about a character’s emotions as you read a story.

Grades 1-5 Activities

• Read or be read to for 20 minutes
• Attend a DMPL program
• Read a book to, or with, a friend or family member
• Check out a STEM kit or an item from the
• Library of Things
• Listen to an audiobook (Libby, Vox or Wonderbooks)
• Read or listen to a book outside 
• Help cook something new from
• a cookbook
• Write a story, or draw a picture,
• featuring your favorite book characters
• Build your own cozy reading fort
• Try a science experiment from a nonfiction book

Grades 6-12 Activities

• Read or listen to a book for 20 minutes
• Attend a DMPL program or volunteer at the library
• Write an epilogue for your favorite book character
• Try a science experiment from a nonfiction book
• Create a playlist for a book you love
• Check out a book from a genre you don’t typically read
• Create a comic with your favorite book characters
• Use a library resource to explore an area of the world
• you’ve never visited
• Cook something new from a cookbook checked out
• from the library
• Create a piece of art based on a book