Summer Library Scavenger Hunt

I have the pleasure of working on my church’s library committee. So that means that I have yet one more excuse to surround myself with books and lots of them. 🙂  I’ve even spent the last few weeks shopping for books for the library. There’s nothing more exciting than buying books with someone else’s money! 😉

Libraries might offer hundreds of books, but you’ll not benefit from them if you never walk in and check them out. In a day and time where the prices are steadily climbing, it’s nice to know that someone still offers fun for the entire family for FREE. And with four kids, free is the best price.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve enjoyed your local library, allow me to give you some suggestions:
*Take a break and go alone. For busy moms or dads, slip over on your lunch break and enjoy the tall stacks of books and the comfy chairs.
*Visit your library when you have thirty minutes to kill between appointments. Why stay in your car on your phone when your library offers a change of scenery, a free book, and a “screen break?”
*Make it a treat for the kids! After a doctor/dentist appointment or shopping trip, take your kiddos to the library. It’s like sending them into a toy store…only you can take things home for free. 😉
*Make a day of it: Pack a picnic, head to the library to borrow books, take in a few hours of fun at the park, then enjoy your lunch followed by some reading time in the shade.
*Many libraries have summer reading programs already in place and offer prizes to young kids. If your library doesn’t offer anything or your young reader doesn’t read enough to earn them, consider giving them prizes yourself. A half-priced slush from Sonic would hit the spot or an ice cream cone for under a dollar would do the trick without breaking the bank.
*Pick a book to read together. There are tons of classics or favorites from our childhood that you can enjoy with your children. Maybe you’ve read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe but you’ve never read the rest of the series. This summer could be the year you sat down with you kiddos and enjoyed them. Read aloud in the shade of your backyard. Or read a chapter a day from multiple copies and discuss it over dinner. Listen to an audio version together in the car as you run errands all summer.
*Create a movie and book event. After reading the book, watch the movie together, complete with your favorite movie theater snacks, of course. 😉
*Make a book sundae. For every book your child completes, they earn a topping for their sundae. At the end of the appointed time, enjoy a family ice cream party together.

In case you STILL need some convincing, I created a Scavenger Hunt for my church library this summer. I’ll share it with you. I’ve also tweaked the original so if you have children, feel free to use the kid-friendly version.

The key to this particular challenge is to take advantage of your local library. So let’s pull out our library cards, find a book and a nice shady spot, and enjoy our summer!!

I’d love to hear from anyone taking the Library Scavenger Hunt Challenge. I’ll be playing along this summer. Within our church, we’ve decided the dates would run between June 1 – July 31. Of course, you’re welcome to work on the challenge longer but for the sake of this public challenge, we’ll work within those dates. I’ll be back to update you on my progress and ask for yours.
But remember, for this particular challenge, your reading material must be found in the library. Many libraries offer e-reader options. Call and ask for a link if you don’t already have one.
*If you want to save this scavenger hunt list to use for your personal TBR pile or to help clean off your e-reader, feel free to do so.

Adult Library Scavenger Hunt:
Find a book….
Written by a male author
Favorite color on cover
Set in a state or country you’d like to visit
1 word title
With a building on the cover
Published before the year 2000
Author’s last name starts with the same letter as yours
Read a Juvenile book
With a mystery
From a series
Written by your favorite author
Book over 400 pages long
Recommended by a librarian or friend
Novel that isn’t part of a series
Book set in a state you’ve lived in
Published in 2015-1016
Written by an author you’ve never tried
Historic fiction novel
With a form of transportation on the cover
Animal on the cover
Nonfiction book
Written by more than 1 author
Flower on the cover
Written by a female author
Main character’s first name starts with the same letter as yours

Kid-Friendly Library Scavenger Hunt:
Find a book…
Written by a male author
Favorite color on cover
Set in a state or country you’d like to visit
1 word title
With a building on the cover
Published before the year 2000
Author’s last name starts with the same letter as yours
Read a book with a friend or family member
With a mystery
From a series
Written by your favorite author
Book that has a movie made after it
Book chosen by the librarian or adult family member
Novel that isn’t part of a series
Book set in a state you’ve lived in
A new arrival or published in 2015-2016
Written by an author you’ve never tried
Fiction book/novel with historic setting
Form of transportation on the cover
Animal on the cover
Nonfiction book
Written by more than 1 author
Flower on the cover
Written by a female author
Main character’s first name starts with the same letter as yours

*Quick notes and rules: You can only use one book per slot. 
All books for the library challenge must be found in a library.
For some additional fun: Consider writing each scavenger clue on a slip of paper and drawing them out of a jar at random. 
Or since there are 25 scavenger clues, you could create a bingo sheet and try doing 5 in a row. 
Have fun!!!