The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest!

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!

In preparation for my new role as a middle school librarian, I've been scouring the Internet for resources to utilize with my faculty and students. One of the coolest and most intriguing things that I've come across is The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest, a creation of YA author Kay Cassidy.

The deets:

• Middle grade and YA authors - ranging from the smaller, lesser known to the more well-known - create 10-question scavenger hunts for one or more of their books (booklist and questions available on the site)


• Librarians register their libraries and promote the contest to their teens (promotional materials and suggestions included on the site)


• Teens choose any book from the list, and give it a read


• Teens answer the questions and turn 'em in to the librarian


• Teens who answer 8 of 10 questions correctly are entered into a contest to win a $50 bookstore gift card


• Every month, one teen wins


• If one of your teens win, you get a tote filled with books, and they get to buy books!

I'm particularly excited about bringing this to my school since the outgoing librarian already told me how much the sixth graders enjoy the annual library scavenger hunt. I'm seeing this contest as a possible segue from that lesson to a less formal, optional, student-driven activity. Woot!

It seems fun and easy, and a great way to get kids reading, and turn their attention to books other than those on the best-seller lists. Obviously, I'll play a role in that as well, but I think that this contest will be a great springboard. Maybe it'll even inspire students to create scavenger hunts for their favorite books, which others can complete for fun (maybe even prizes?).

What activities/contests do you do with your teens? Have you heard of other promotions or had any cool ideas of your own to get teens reading?

Thanks to Bookshelves of Doom for the link!