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Missions
Our librarians have put together several activities, for a variety of challenges and levels. Complete an activity and you might unlock a more advanced one, and bragging rights, cool badges and maybe even a prize!

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100 Pts
20-20 Reading Challenge


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3 Day Reading Streak


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Adult Create Your Own Adventure

Make your own adventures by checking things off your bucket list! Does your bucket list include visiting a museum, restaurant, or park? Or maybe visiting someplace new? Share the top five things on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish this summer below. Go forward and adventure!



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After Dark Fairy Tales

You’ve grown up hearing fairy tales all your life that usually end in happy endings, but that’s not always the case in these fairy tales. Come and join me for After Dark Fairy Tales, where you’ll hear some stories from the Brothers Grimm. Pull up a chair, bring along some snacks, or even a friend to hear some truly frightening fairy tales. Who knows, along the way you may find a favorite story, an interesting fact, or something else! Readers advisory - some stories may contain scary or even grotesque content!


To join in all of the dark and twisted fun, email teenprograms@queenslibrary.org and include 'After Dark" in the subject heading.  The login information for the program will be sent to you.  The Fairy Tales After Dark Series takes place every Monday at 8pm.



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Alphabet Walk

Go for a walk and look for letters of the alphabet all around you! For example, two branches on the ground might form the letter T. The goal is to find the letters without having to move items around to create the letter. Mark off each letter as you find it!



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Battle of the Books!


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Captain's Log

Captain’s logs and ship’s logs have a rich history, and provide insight into how life on seafaring vessels went (and still go today). Continue this tradition by keeping track of what, where, and how you read this summer. 

Challenge yourself to complete at least five tasks from the list below. How many can you complete?

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Community Connections
A list of activities to help you engage with your community in new and meaningful ways.

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Create your Own Mythical Creature
Go on a hunt to find your mythical creature! Look up about different mythical creatures and their stories. Inspired by the stories you have read, create your own creature at home with materials around the house.

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Create Your Own Mythical Creature
Create your own magical monster in a challenge where the only required tool is your imagination!If you wish to share your final monstrous creation on social media, use the hashtags #SummerReading #ImagineYourStory, and tag QPL @qplnyc !

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Fables and Memes

Fables are short stories featuring non-human characters (animals, plants, forces of nature, objects, etc) that teach a moral or message the society they are written in believes is important. Like folktales, they were often repeated orally for many years before being written down. Learn about fables, then make a meme version of one!



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Fabulous Fables

Fables are short, fun stories in which the characters (usually animals) learn an important lesson. Read one and act it out for your family!



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Fact and Fiction Scavenger Hunt

It’s time to explore! So many facts and so many stories (fiction) can be found in the Queens Public Library databases. See if you can track some down! Do at least 2 activities to complete the mission.

Find all the databases here: https://www.queenslibrary.org/research/research-databases.


Some databases require a Queens Public Library Card number and PIN number. If you do not have a Queens Public Library card and would like one, apply for an e-card online today at www.queenslibrary.org




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Fairytale Science: Beanstalks!

Grow a bean plant like the one in Jack and the Beanstalk. How tall will your beanstalk grow?



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Fairytale Science: Troll Bridges

A mean troll guards a bridge in the fairytale The Three Billy Goats Gruff. How strong can you make a bridge with paper and tape? Strong enough to hold a billy goat?



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Forgeries That Don’t Fool Anyone
Challenge your creativity by recreating a famous work of art with junk lying around your home. Whether it’s a “Sunday in the Park” or a “Starry Night” indoors, your unique vision will be a “Scream!”

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Kindness Counts

Do something nice and show kindness to others! These activities are great ways to show your generosity.



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Little Explorers

Get your little ones to expand their horizons. This can be accomplished by trying something new or seeing things in a different light. Teach your little ones that you don’t have to travel far to explore new things—wonderment can be found everywhere!



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Modern Wonders
There are seven modern wonders of the world. Do you know where they are? Enter the name of the country for each of the seven modern wonders.

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No Barriers, At Your Library
Welcome Home! Queens Public Library has so many resources to help you transition back to your neighborhood. We can also connect you with other organizations and groups. As you utilize what the Library has to offer, we can offer you certificates along the way. If you become a "super user" of the library, we have a big incentive for you!

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Now Streaming
There’s never been a better time for screen adaptations of your favorite books and comics! Find your favorite movie or show on our book list, and maybe even find the next big hit!

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Ocean Movement
How does a jellyfish move? Little ones will learn different ways creatures in the ocean move while getting up and moving!

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Oceans of Fun
How much do you really know about the ocean? Here is your chance to test your knowledge with our ocean trivia quiz!

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Participate in a QPL Storytime!
Join a QPL storytime! Join a live session on Facebook or tune in to recorded storytimes on our YouTube channel. 

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Pirate Scavenger Hunt
Arrgh! Think you are ready to be a pirate? Can you find at least 5 pirate-themed items. Look around your house, the library, park, all around you!

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Poetry Out Loud
Learn a poem by heart!

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Random Acts of Kindness
Small acts of kindness can have a big impact on those around you.

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Random Acts of Kindness

Small gestures make the most difference on a daily basis. It's easy to get so preoccupied with our own lives that we forget about others, but with just one simple act of kindness, we can change the way someone else's day goes, and we can better ourselves and the world in the process. This challenge is designed for you to take the time to do something for someone else — and hopefully they will pay it forward to the next person!



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Rapunzel's Engineering Co.

Welcome to the first week of your internship at Rapunzel's Engineering Company. You may be familiar with our work designing and building towers around the world. We swear not all of them are owned by witches!


Your engineering design challenge is to design and construct a model tower using only newspaper and tape and scissors. You will have limited supplies and time. The tower must be as tall as you can make it, but also stable enough to stand up to a wind load since it will be built in a hurricane-prone region.


Your task mirrors the challenges that engineers are given in the real world—with objectives, requirements and constraints such as budgets, material limitations and deadlines. An engineering team that can design a structure to meet the objectives with the fewest materials (hence, less cost), is favored over other companies that cannot utilize the given materials as effectively.


All the steps you'll need to follow are listed here. If you like, the project specifications can also be found online at https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/duk_tower_tech_act.


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Read a Book From the Summer Reading List
Chose a title from our summer reading lists.  You can find all of our summer reading book lists at summerreading.queenslibrary.org.

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Read a book published the year you were born


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200 Pts
Read a book that takes place on the beach
Explore the ocean by reading a book with your child  that takes place on beach or in the ocean

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200 Pts
Read a book with a sea animal on the cover
Read a book with a sea animal on the cover!

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200 Pts
Read a Classic Book


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300 Pts
Read a fact book
Read a book about the topic of your choosing!  You can learn about a favorite animal, or dinosaurs.  You can read about the life of a famous person or about oceans.  Ask your librarian if you need help choosing a book.

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200 Pts
Read a new author
Read a book my an author you haven't read before.

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500 Pts
Read a new genre


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Read a Non Fiction Book


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200 Pts
Read about how oceans affect climate


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300 Pts
Read an autobiography
Read an autobiography.  An autobiography is a book someone has written about their own life.  Ask your local librarian to help you find an autobiography.

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Read Out Loud!
Reading to someone can make a good story even better! 

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500 Pts
Read to Someone Else
Read to or with someone else.  You can read to a sibling, pet, grandparent or friend!  

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500 Pts
Read to Someone Else
Read to or with someone else.  You can read to a sibling, pet, grandparent or friend!  

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300 Pts
Read while traveling
Take your reading adventure on the road!  Read while you are traveling somewhere.  You can be on a trip, on the bus, in a car or on the subway.  Where will you take your book?

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Reading Around

Books can take you around the world and back, even if you're only in your backyard! Show us all the fun and exciting places you read by marking each place you read. Get out and read!



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Share the Joy
Let's work together! Complete the activities below with your little one.

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Six Word Memoir
Write the story of your life in 6 words!

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Speed Date With a Book
Pick a book from the summer reading list to speed date! All books are available through our website digitally.

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Summer Jams

Did you know that the library has digital music that you can stream and download? Check out Freegal on QPL's website and download a free song!




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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 1

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 2

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 3

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 4

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 5

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play - Week 6

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play with your child this summer to support their pre-literacy skills and help them enter school ready to learn how to read!



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The Story of Your Summer
The summer of 2020 will be one to remember! Start saving those memories now!

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20-20-20
Read 20 minutes a day for 20 days in 2020!  Get in the habit of reading every day, and earn a badge for completing the challenge!

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20-20-20
Read 20 minutes a day for 20 days in 2020!  Get in the habit of reading every day, and earn a badge for completing the challenge!

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20-20-20
Read 20 minutes a day for 20 days in 2020!  Get in the habit of reading together every day, and earn a badge for completing the challenge!

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20-20-20
Read 20 minutes a day for 20 days in 2020!  Get in the habit of reading every day, and earn a badge for completing the challenge!

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Writing Challenge
Attention 2nd through 6th graders! Would you like your work to be featured Live on our Queens Public Library’s Facebook Page? Participate in our weekly read a loud writing activity throughout the month of July. You will have the opportunity to submit a piece of creative writing and get a chance to have your work read aloud. For more information on our Weekly Read Alouds writing activity, go to queenslibrary.org/SUMMERREADING.

Even if your story isn't chosen for read aloud, you'll still earn a special badge for completing this Summer Reading mission!


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