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Summer Reading Adventure

Read books, explore the city, win prizes! The Summer Reading Adventure runs from 1 December 2024 — 31 January 2025. There're challenges for all ages — children, teens, and adults!

The title Summer Reading Adventure on a background of an NZ beach.

Join the Summer Reading Adventure!

How does it work?

Exactly what reading adventures are in store for you will depend on which version of the Adventure you sign up for, but as a general rule you can participate in three different ways:

  1. Log your reading — tell us what you’ve been reading, and maintain your own personal reading log to earn tickets you can cash in for the chance to win one of our Grand Prize packs.
  2. Write, draw or film book reviews — get creative and let us know what you think about the books you’ve been reading, with special spot prizes for the most thought-provoking entries.
  3. Complete challenges — choose your own adventure, and participate in a range of different activities, challenges, and quests that will have you venturing out into the city, taking a deep dive into our collections, and exploring your own back yard — and what’s more, you’ll even make it home in time for tea!

How to sign up

Summer Reading starts 1 December, but you can sign up anytime throughout the Summer Reading Adventure – we’d love to have you!

Head over to our special Summer Reading Adventure website, hosted by Beanstack. From there, you can either register as an individual or as a family, or if you’ve already participated in a Beanstack reading challenge before, you can sign in right away.

Create your Beanstack account here!

After you create your Beanstack account, you’ll be able to sign up for the Summer Reading Adventure of your choice once pre-registrations open in late November. This year, there are three different Adventures targeted at different age groups:

  • Kids — aged 5-13
  • Teens — aged 13-18
  • Adults — aged 16+

Note that there are some overlaps between the age groups — if you happen to be eligible for two versions of the Adventure, you can sign up for either, or for both if you’re really keen!

A photo of an open book on a beach, taken from the reader's perspective

An adventurer-submitted photo from the last Summer Reading Adventure.

The Beanstack Tracker App

You can also participate in the Summer Reading Adventure using our special mobile app, the Beanstack Tracker, available on Google Play and the App Store.

Once you’ve downloaded the app to your device, you’ll be asked how you want to participate. Select “At my library, school, or bookstore,” and then search for Wellington City Libraries when prompted. Then, you’re in! You can create an account, log in to an existing account, and pre-register for the Summer Reading Adventure just as you can on the website.

Download the Beanstack app

Community Reading Goal

We also have a Community Reading Goal that we’d love to reach together. This year, we’re hoping that Wellingtonians will collectively be able to read and log 20,000 books over the summer. The eternal respect and admiration of all bookish Wellingtonians awaits the lucky soul who reads the 20,001st book!