Winter Reading Program, Challenge Announced At Westport Library

News release from the Westport Library:

WESTPORT, CT — As winter settles in, The Westport Library is once again turning the colder months into a season of connection, imagination, and discovery with its Children’s Winter Reading Program and Adult Winter Reading Challenge. These engaging initiatives are designed to spice up your winter and remind the community that reading doesn’t just enrich lives — it creates joy!

***

Children's Winter Reading Program

Running December 19, 2025, through February 23, 2026, the Children’s Winter Reading Program invites readers and non-readers alike to warm up with a good book. Open to all children and families, this program celebrates reading in every form: reading independently, being read to, or even deciphering the cereal box at breakfast. No matter how kids choose to participate, time spent reading is never wasted.

Because reading is tracked by minutes, every moment counts. Children can log time spent reading novels, picture books, graphic novels, comics, newspapers, magazines, and more. They can also log time spent listening to stories read aloud by caregivers, librarians, or teachers as well. Get creative with your reading material!

After signing up online, participants can visit the Library to receive an activity sheet and nine color-coded stickers. Completing 10 activities earns a book from the Library’s prize cart, while every additional 50 minutes of reading unlocks more stickers that will contribute to a collaborative community artwork on display at the Library. Children who are up to the challenge of reading 500 minutes will get to take home another book of their choice, giving them the chance to start building their own personal collection.

Interactive reading programs like this transform reading from an assignment into an experience. They help children maintain and strengthen literacy skills during school breaks, keep young minds curious and engaged, and create meaningful moments for families to read together. Most importantly, they help children associate reading with enjoyment, curiosity, and personal discovery — a connection that research shows is key to developing lifelong readers.

They Said It!: Kids’ Winter Reading

“This program offers a chance for families to build shared reading habits. Parents who read inspire kids to read, and best of all, they get to share the joy of reading together.” – Library’s Director of Youth Services Mary Parmelee

***

Adult Winter Reading Challenge

There’s plenty of joy to go around with the return of the Library’s Adult Winter Reading Challenge, running December 22, 2025, through February 2, 2026. All kinds of readers are invited to rise to the challenge this season, from bookworms who can knock back a stack, to those embarking on a new journey to discover stories that speak to them.

After a highly successful inaugural 2024-25 campaign, the Library’s reference team has once again put together 10 thoughtfully curated categories designed to spark curiosity, encourage exploration across genres, and make reading feel playful rather than prescriptive. These top-secret categories will be revealed on December 22, when the challenge goes live.

Participants may complete as many categories as they wish, as long as they follow two simple rules: each category can only be used once, and each book counts toward a single category. Readers can log their completed books online and track their progress on the challenge leaderboard, sharing their momentum with other readers throughout the season.

Last winter’s challenge brought 44 readers who collectively read 272 books, with nearly one-third of participants completing all 10 challenges — a testament to the power of community motivation.

That sense of community extends beyond the page through the Westport Reading Challenge Facebook Group, where readers swap recommendations, celebrate milestones, participate in weekly giveaways, and cheer one another on.

Past participants rave about their delightful experiences with the Library’s adult reading challenges (there is also a longstanding Summer Reading Challenge), reveling in the chance to check books off their to-read lists and explore new kinds of stories they might not otherwise have considered before.

They Said It!: Adult Winter Reading

“I am always amazed by everything I read and the discovery of new genres.” – Norma H.

“I'm looking forward to reading these books cuddled up on the sofa in a warm blanket and a hot tea by my side.” –past Summer Reading Challenge frontrunner Amy S.

“Whether you read for entertainment or self-care, or you’re motivated by friendly competition, or you enjoy sharing your love of books with your community, this challenge has something for everyone.” – Melanie Kelly, head of adult reference services and collection curation

Winter Reading & WestportREADS 2026

The 2025-26 Adult Winter Reading Challenge also connects with WestportREADS 2026, the Library’s annual community-wide reading initiative featuring immersive programming running January through March. Coinciding with the Adult Winter Reading Challenge, both opportunities reinforce the idea that reading is both a personal pleasure and a joyful shared experience.

Excitingly, the Library’s reference team is also offering a hint that WestportREADS may play a part in one of the challenge’s categories… but you’ll have to stay tuned for the reveal on December 22!

***

Helpful Links

Story link: https://westportlibrary.org/cozy-up-with-a-good-book-in-the-westport-librarys-winter-reading-programs-for-all-ages/

Children’s Winter Reading Program: https://westportlibrary.libguides.com/YouthReadingPrograms

Adult Winter Reading Challenge: https://westportlibrary.libguides.com/WR25-26Instructions