Making Magic in the Secondary School Library with Monthly Missions
As a school librarian, I am always on the lookout for creative ways to engage students. While I love collaborating with teachers, those opportunities tend to come in waves. In recent years, I have noticed a shift in secondary libraries, where our role increasingly resembles that of public libraries, offering more independent programming for students. With study hall students regularly filling our spaces, boredom can sometimes lead to frustration—not only for the students but for the librarian as well!
To address this, I found inspiration from a librarian friend and developed Monthly Challenges, which quickly became a staple in my library. Initially started during the COVID-19 pandemic, these challenges have remained popular since we returned to in-person learning. Each month features a new, fun activity for students, giving them a creative outlet and a reason to visit the library. Below are some examples of challenges I have successfully run, along with links to Canva templates you can use in your own library.
Monthly Challenges
October: Ghost Character Transformation
October is perfect for a spooky-themed challenge, and what better way to tie in creativity than with a Ghost Character Transformation? Students are given an outline of a ghost and tasked with transforming it into a well-known book character or historical figure. It could be a famous detective, like Sherlock Holmes, or a key figure like Cleopatra. After submissions are in, I put up all the entries and allow students and staff to vote on their favorites.
The top three designs receive a prize, which could be anything from a fun book-related item to
some sweet treats! The competitive aspect drives participation, and it is incredible to see how imaginative students can get, with some even rotating or altering the shape of the ghost to create something completely unexpected.
Bonus Idea: To complement the ghost challenge, I have also incorporated a Two-Sentence Scary Story Contest. The catch is that the stories must be original—no copying from the internet or books. They also have to keep it clean, with minimal gore and no profanity, which often pushes students to focus on atmosphere and suspense rather than shock value.
November: Famous Turkey Transformation
As Thanksgiving approaches, I use a Turkey Transformation Challenge to keep the creativity flowing. Students are provided with a basic turkey outline, and their task is to turn it into a famous person—whether a historical figure, a modern celebrity, or a fictional character.
This challenge is always a hit because students think outside the box, often rotating the turkey or adding accessories to transform it into something entirely new. Some popular submissions have included Albert Einstein, Beyoncé, and even Harry Potter!
As always, I display the submissions and have a school-wide vote to choose the top three designs. Prizes go to the most creative transformations, encouraging students to really let their imaginations run wild. To keep things fresh, I sometimes offer multiple turkey outlines, giving them more flexibility in how they approach the design.
December: The Gift of Reading
December is all about the holiday spirit, and the Gift of Reading Challenge taps into the excitement of gift-giving. For this challenge, I wrap books in festive paper and attach gift tags that list only the genre and subgenre of each book. The books remain a mystery until unwrapped, allowing students to pick based solely on the genre they are interested in.
Once they select and unwrap a book, students take it home to read. When they return the book, they answer a couple of reflection questions about their reading experience and are entered to win a prize. This is a great way to get students reading during a busy month, and the element of surprise adds an extra layer of fun.
You could also take this a step further by having students recommend books for others, creating a “secret Santa” type of exchange, where they gift anonymous book recommendations to their peers!
January: Vision Glasses
The start of a new year brings an opportunity for reflection and goal-setting, which is why I run the Vision Glasses Challenge in January. I provide students with an outline of sunglasses and ask them to draw or collage their vision for the year ahead.
This challenge is a creative and personal way for students to express their hopes, dreams, and goals for the new year. Some students use bright, bold colors to depict exciting adventures, while others use words and phrases to represent personal growth. After they submit their designs, I display them in the library for everyone to see.
It is always inspiring to see how students visualize their future, and this challenge encourages them to think about their personal aspirations in a fun, artistic way. As with other challenges, I often offer small prizes for standout designs.
February: Tech Challenge—Create a Book Meme
In February, I tap into students’ love of technology and social media with the Book Meme Challenge. Memes are everywhere in their digital lives, so I have them create a meme related to their favorite book, the book they are currently reading, or reading and books in general.
Students submit their memes digitally, and I print them out to display in the library. I also encourage them to share their memes on social media (if allowed) with the school’s hashtag. Memes can be funny, clever, or satirical, and the variety of humor students bring to this challenge is always a delight.
This challenge encourages critical thinking and creativity, as students must condense their thoughts about books into a short, humorous message. It is also a great way to connect with students who might not typically be drawn to traditional reading activities.
March: Book Bracket Challenge
March is all about competition with the Book Bracket Challenge, which mimics the excitement of March Madness but with books! I create a bracket featuring the top-circulated books from the past year, and students vote on matchups through Google Forms.
Each week, two books face off in a “battle,” and students vote for their favorite. The competition runs throughout the month, with the bracket displayed outside the library for all to see. I also update the bracket weekly, building excitement as we get closer to crowning the ultimate champion.
This challenge often becomes a collaboration between the library and English teachers, making it a fun, school-wide event. Students get excited about the competition and often rally their friends to vote for their favorites. It is a great way to spotlight popular books and get students talking about reading!
April: Library Scavenger Hunt (School Library Month Challenge)
April is School Library Month, so I celebrate by encouraging students to explore all the resources our library offers through a Library Scavenger Hunt! Students solve riddles or follow clues to find specific books, resources, or facts about the library services. Some of the tasks might include:
- Finding a book by a specific author.
- Locating the newest book in the collection.
- Checking out a book from a genre they have never read before.
- Sora and eBook resources
Students earn points for each task, and the highest-scoring students win a prize. This challenge is a great way to get students familiar with different areas of the library while having fun!
May: Book Spine Poetry Challenge
In May, I keep the creative energy going with a Book Spine Poetry Challenge. Students use book titles from the library to create poems by stacking the books, so their spines form a verse. This was a huge hit with students who loved the visual and literary aspects of the challenge.
We displayed the poems in the library for everyone to enjoy, and staff voted on their favorites. Sharing them on social media also helped build excitement, and of course, prizes were awarded to the top entries!
It is a great way to mix poetry with a fun, hands-on activity, and it often leads to students discovering new books they would not have picked up otherwise.
June: Build Your Summer Reading Stack
June is all about preparing for summer break, and I use this time to promote summer reading with the Build Your Summer Reading Stack Challenge. I encourage students to bring a sturdy bag to the library and select up to 10 books to take home for the summer.
The goal is to get as many books as possible into the hands of students before they leave for break, ensuring they have plenty to read during the summer months. I create displays of recommended books and offer personalized suggestions to help students find titles that will keep them engaged.
This challenge helps students develop their own reading lists and keeps them excited about books throughout the summer!
Final Thoughts
Monthly challenges are a fantastic way to engage students and bring creativity into the library. Whether you are working with study hall students or simply looking for new ways to foster a love of reading, these activities can be adapted to fit any school’s unique needs. Feel free to use the Canva templates linked above to get started in your own library!
Get the Canva Templates here.
2 Comments
Amy Tomlinson
I am our district’s school librarian. Would you be willing to share any of the templates you used for your Monthly Challenges?
Heather Turner
Hey Amy – the link to the Canva is at the end of the post 🙂