TOWSON, MD—This summer, adventure begins at Baltimore County Public Library! The annual Summer Reading Challenge runs Saturday, June 1, through Saturday, August 31. With the theme of “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” this program encourages exploration of the world through books, engaging activities and prizes.

There are two ways children can participate; either by tracking via the Beanstack app or by completing a paper game board, which can be downloaded in English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF) or picked up at any of our 18 open branches starting June 1. After reading for 10 hours, children can claim a completion prize and enter to win family memberships to local venues, including The National Aquarium, The Maryland State Fair and Maryland Zoo, or a Nintendo Switch.

The library invites families to start the challenge with our summer reading kickoff festival on Saturday, June 1, at the Cockeysville Branch, located at 9833 Greenside Dr. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., families can enjoy performances, scavenger hunts, crafts, a raffle and visits with story tale mascots Elephant and Piggie, Sneaks and the Baltimore Ravens mascot Poe.

“This year’s theme, Adventure Begins at Your Library, directly aligns with our mission to encourage our customers to explore, learn, create and connect at one of our branches or through our digital library,” said Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, CEO of Baltimore County Public Library. “However, the challenge is more than just a fun activity for kids during the summer break; it’s a vital tool in combating the summer slide. By encouraging children to read regularly over the summer, we can help prevent the loss of valuable academic skills and ensure that all students are ready to succeed when they return to school in the fall.”

Every great adventure needs to be fueled by good food. Provided by Baltimore County Public Schools and USDA Summer Food Service Program, Baltimore County Public Library is providing meals at 12 branches throughout the summer. Meals are available Monday through Friday for those 18 or younger and they must be eaten in the branch. The lunch program cannot accommodate groups, such as camps, childcare centers, etc. The participating branches are as follows:

• Arbutus—12-1 p.m.
• Essex—12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Lansdowne—12-1 p.m.
• Loch Raven— 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• North Point—12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Parkville-Carney—12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Perry Hall—12-1 p.m.
• Randallstown—12-1 p.m.
• Reisterstown—12-1 p.m.
• Rosedale—12-1 p.m.
• White Marsh—12-1 p.m.
• Woodlawn—12:30-1:30 p.m.

The Summer Reading Challenge is possible thanks in part to our sponsors: Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library, Rosedale Federal, APGFCU, and Baltimore County Employees Federal Credit Union.

Find more information and register to play on the BCPL website’s Summer Reading Challenge page.