Youth (ages 0-11) will receive:

• One Achievement Ribbon
• One pass to the Museum of Us

Teens (ages 12+) will receive:

• Free 5pc Boneless Wings coupon from Wingstop
• One pass to the Museum of Us

Adults (ages 18+) will receive:

• Free 5pc Boneless Wings coupon from Wingstop
• One pass to the Museum of Us
• One pass to the Mingei International Museum

Prizes will be available for pickup from January 6 – February 10, while supplies last! Participants may only receive one prize set for their age level and cannot redeem prizes at multiple locations. To view library locations and hours, click here.

  

Opportunity Drawings: Complete the Winter Reading Challenge to win exclusive prizes! Earn up to 5 digital raffle tickets by tracking your reading and activities online to increase your chances to win!

• Baby/Toddler Drawing Prizes (ages 0-5): Toddler Art Kit
• Children Drawing Prizes (ages 6-11): Art Supplies Kit
• Teen and Adult Drawing Prizes: 2 AMC Theaters Black Movie Tickets 

Grand prize drawing winners will be notified in early February. Prizes may vary by branch and are available while supplies last! 

Winter Reading Challenge Kick-off Celebration

Saturday, January 3 |10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Pacific Highlands Ranch Library

Get ready for a fun-filled celebration as we launch this year’s 2026 Winter Reading Challenge: Every Picture Tells a Story—where art and storytelling come to life! Discover the magic behind pictures, learn how to join the challenge, and start your creative journey with us.

Event Highlights:

• Meet amazing community partners
• Create your own self-portrait with paint
• Enjoy tasty light refreshments
• Explore art, reading, and more fun surprises!

All ages welcome — No registration needed! Come join the art adventure and let your story unfold! 

Activity Descriptions for Children (ages 0-5) 

• Attend a Library Program: Visit any SDPL location throughout January to enjoy a storytime, an arts and craft activity, puppet show, a dance pants party, or any program of your choice. Search the Library events calendar for more program info. 
  
• Experience Art:  Discover free and low-cost art experiences across San Diego! Visit a local museum, explore an art crawl, or take stroll through the Spanish Village Arts Center in Balboa Park. Many museums offer free admission for youth under 17 and free days every Tuesday for San Diego residents. Through Discover & Go you can also reserve free passes to many of San Diego’s top attractions for free with your library card! Your family can also enjoy public art by going on a self-guided art tour through our vibrant neighborhoods or explore artworks On View in our libraries—perfect for an art scavenger hunt with the family. Your family can also experience free live performances from concerts to theater—that bring music and storytelling to life.
• Tell a Story: Stories help children learn, grow, and understand the world. They spark imagination, build vocabulary, and encourage empathy. Try these activities to boost your child’s storytelling skills! Use simple props—a photo, book illustration, stuffed animal, puppet, or any special item. Start the story with one or two sentences, then ask your child guiding questions to help them add details to their story! Invite older children to write down their own story, whether based on a family memory or a make-believe adventure. Youth can use these 52 creative writing prompts for inspiration. After, have your child read their story to you! Most importantly, have fun creating stories together!
• Make an Art & Crafts Masterpiece:  Art and stories are everywhere! Express yourself through art by sculpting with modeling clay or using colored pencils to draw yourself! For a fun sensory afternoon with young children, tape old newspaper to a wall or table and explore paint together. Youth can also try these fun art projects to learn about the greatest artists of all time or by transforming an old shoebox into a mini world diorama to tell their own unique story!
• Explore the stories of a photo: The photos and videos we collect over the years are little treasures that keep our memories alive. Take out that box of old prints—or open those digital photos and look over them with your child.  Host a “Five-Photo Story Night” and encourage your child to ask questions about the people and places in the photos. Your family might uncover surprising stories, funny moments, or special family traditions. Don’t have a lot of photos? No worries! For a fun activity, help your child take pictures then talk about what they notice and how each picture makes them feel. These are heartwarming ways to connect, learn, and share stories that deserve to be remembered! 

Activity Descriptions for Teens and Adults

• Attend a Library Program: Visit any SDPL location throughout January to enjoy an art or maker activity, attend a book club, experience dance or music performances, or join any program that sparks your interest! Search the Library events calendar for more program info.
• Experience Art:  Explore an art crawl or gallery, or take a stroll through the Spanish Village Arts Center in Balboa Park. Visit a local art museum—many offer free admission on Tuesdays for San Diego residents—or use the Discover & Go app to reserve free passes to top attractions with your library card. Enjoy public art on a self-guided tour through our vibrant neighborhoods or discover artworks On View in our libraries—perfect for an art scavenger hunt. You can also experience live performances, from concerts to musical theater, that bring music and storytelling to life.
• Tell a story: Stories help spark creativity, capture our experiences, and keep our memories alive! Grab a journal and start writing—whether your ideas come from real life or a world of make-believe. Try the creative writing prompts to get started, and when you’re done, share your story with a family member or friend. You can also set up a “Round Robin Storytelling Night” Begin by writing the first sentence or paragraph of a story, then pass it along. Each person adds a new twist, creating something unexpected together. When the story is complete, have fun reading it aloud! Another idea is to start a “Family Recipe Collection,” use these recipe cards to record favorite dishes along with the stories behind them. Once you’ve gathered enough, get together to share the recipes and the memories attached to each one. It’s a wonderful way to build connections and keep treasured traditions alive.
• Make an art & crafts masterpiece: Use paint, pencil, or clay to create a self-portrait or to bring a favorite memory—or even a made-up story—to life! You can also explore the work of great artists through these art activities and discover the stories behind their masterpieces. Feeling inspired? Teens and adults can explore our Innovation Lab or IDEA Labs, where staff can help you bring your creative ideas to life using amazing maker equipment like 3D printers, dye-sublimation printers, sewing machines, laser cutters, and more!  
• Explore the stories of a photo: The photos and videos we collect over the years are little art treasures that keep our memories alive. Pull out a box of old prints—or scroll through your digital albums—and enjoy them with family or friends. “Host a Photo Story Night” where everyone brings a meaningful photo to share. Take turns talking about the people, places, and memories behind each image. You might uncover surprising stories, funny moments, or shared traditions. It’s a heartwarming way to connect, learn, and celebrate our shared humanity—and to honor the stories that deserve to be remembered!