Superpower Challenge

What superpowers did the young people in your care discover during Children’s Book Week? We would love to know! Share superpowers here!

Superpower (noun): a skill, personal trait, or passion that plays an important role in your life, helps you do good in the world, and makes you feel special, happy, and confident. 

People have many superpowers in their lives. How can you help kids discover one of theirs?

In honor of this year’s Children’s Book Week Theme, Reading is a Superpower, we have created the Superpower Challenge. Kids can discover a new passion or reaffirm a current interest by exploring activities divided into various categories.

See Superpowers from kids who participated during our Spring celebration and share more superpowers with us all year long!

• Centerville Middle School in Fremont, CA: Reading, virtual learning, connecting with Zoom
• Miles in Miami Shores, FL: Can balance on any object
• Bonding by Reading in Buford, GA: Read, drawing, writing, speaking up, creating things
• JJ Johnson II Library in Lake Charles, LA: Finding out about different cultures and traditions
• Rhoades Elementary in Indianapolis, ID: Reading!, patience, flexibility, friendship, perseverance, I know my alphabet!, Reading level growth, kindness
• Brian in Richmond, MI: Encouragement
• Peninsula Community Library in Traverse City, MI: Escaping to many worlds in books! 
• Franklin School in Summit, NJ: Kindness Crew- spreading kindness to all during COVID
• Edison School in Dayton, OH: We Learn!
• Bridger K-8 in Portland, OR: Eli makes us laugh with his wit and humor, Keivon has amazing riddles, We help each other, always.
• Bentley in Cheraw, SC: The ability to recreate myself with every story I read, I am a Transformer Reader.

How it Works

How to facilitate the challenge:

• Tell kids the categories and ask them which topics they are already interested in and which topics they want to learn more about. 
• Take a look at the various activities. Which ones look challenging? Which ones look like fun? Which ones encourage exploration of something totally new and different?
• Help kids complete one or more of the activities that stand out to them. They can complete as many as they want to discover new interests/hobbies and confirm their passion for others.
• Take a look at the superpowers of some of our friends who make books. These can help guide kids in deciding what their own superpower is. 
• Have a printer?: download our certificate for your young superhero! See below.
• Want a superpower included on our National Map? Share one or a group of superpowers via this online form.

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Superpower Activities

Many activities can be done without supervision, depending on age. Activities can be done individually or in a group. Feel free to adjust to fit your circumstances. 

An activity list for each theme as well as booklists are available below. 

Young people can begin this challenge in April and continue through Children’s Book Week in May.

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Science and STEM
The Arts

Social Activism
Community Engagement

Identity and Culture
Environment and Climate

Physical Fitness and Sports
The Humanities

Mental Health and Wellness

Thank you to our friends at The Brown Bookshelf for contributing titles to these lists featuring diverse characters, creators, and topics.

Listen to The Book of Life‘s November podcast featuring the book Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero.

Explore the AJL American Jewish Experience reading list for more books about real life superheroes.

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