Tween Reading Challenges for 2025: Fun Ways to Encourage Young Readers

Getting tweens to fall in love with reading can feel like a challenge itself. But when you make reading interactive, creative, and fun, you’ll be amazed at how eager young readers can become. That’s where tween reading challenges come in! They’re the perfect way to turn books into adventures, engage reluctant readers, and keep the bookworms motivated.

Here are some exciting ideas to spark a love of reading in 2025, complete with challenges and activities that parents, teachers, and librarians can easily implement.

Create a Reading Challenge Poster

What’s better than setting goals? Coloring them in! A reading challenge poster is a fun visual way for tweens to track their progress.

• Why it’s effective: Tweens love seeing their progress come to life. Plus, coloring is a relaxing, creative activity that pairs perfectly with a quiet reading session.

• Pro tip: Customize the poster with genres or themes, like “Mysteries,” “Fantasy,” or “Books by New Authors.”

Download our pre-made reading challenge poster or design your own to share with a class or group. Ours is an adorable reading log poster waiting to be filled in by you! Once you read a book, you can write the name on the spine of each book on this poster's shelf, color it in to match the book you read, or just color it in for fun!

For more creative ideas, check out Bookish Outdoor Adventures: Plan a Family Literacy Scavenger Hunt on our blog!

Use a Reading Passport

Transform reading into a global adventure with a reading passport! This activity lets tweens "travel" through books by tracking their literary journeys. Our reading passport includes room for 13 book recaps! This exciting tracker also includes slots for up to 13 of your collectible stickers!

• How it works: Each book represents a "destination," which they log in their passport. They can write the title, author, a short review, and even paste in their collectible sticker or create a drawing to represent the story.

• Why it’s effective: A reading passport encourages tweens to explore books from different countries, genres, or authors. It’s also a great way to introduce diverse perspectives and stories.

• Pro tip: Pair this with a map and have them mark where each book "takes place" to see how far their reading has taken them around the world.

Set a Goal and Choose a Reward

Sometimes, all it takes is a little motivation to get tweens excited about reading. Enter the classic goal-and-reward system.

• How it works: Tweens set a goal for the number of books, pages, or minutes they want to read in a week or a month. Once they hit their goal, they earn a fun prize or experience.

• Why it’s effective: Goals give tweens something concrete to work toward, and rewards add an element of excitement.

• Reward ideas:

• A trip to the bookstore

• A movie night based on a book they read

• A new bookmark or bookish accessory

• A themed celebration (like a Picky Eaters Party)

Make the rewards unique to their interests, and you’ll see their motivation soar. 

And don't miss our blog post Year-Round Reading Challenges to Keep Kids Engaged for additional ideas to spark their reading journey!

Explore Local Library Reading Challenges

Libraries are treasure troves for book lovers, and they often host fantastic reading challenges tailored to kids and tweens.

• How it works: Many libraries offer seasonal challenges (like summer reading programs) with themes, activities, and prizes.

• Why it’s effective: Libraries create a sense of community and add social interaction to reading. Tweens can share their progress with peers, attend fun events, and discover new books.

• Pro tip: Ask your local librarian about upcoming challenges and encourage tweens to sign up. Some libraries even offer digital tracking options for added convenience.

Make Reading Social with Buddy Challenges

Reading doesn’t have to be a solo activity! Encourage tweens to pair up with a friend or sibling for a buddy reading challenge.

• How it works: Tweens pick a book to read together and set a deadline for finishing it. They can discuss the book, share their favorite parts, and even compete to see who finishes first.

• Why it’s effective: Reading with a buddy adds accountability and makes the experience more engaging. Plus, it’s always fun to talk about books with a friend.

• Pro tip: Suggest a list of books that are great for group reads, like series or adventure novels.

Book Subscription Boxes

Experience the magic of reading with your 9 to 12-year-olds and unbox surprises every other month! Here’s why you will love our book boxes for kids!

Our Tween book subscription boxes for kids are the ideal way to get your young readers excited about reading. At Once Upon a Book Club, we are all about bringing books to life and competing with technology is no mean feat, well, until our book boxes arrive.

Discovering Book Boxes For Kids

There is something about receiving our book box; it is like having a birthday all year long. Our fun packaging and book-shaped box will delight any young child as they wait to discover the unexpected treasures of each specially selected story.

Each Book Box Is Filled With Extras

In each box, your child will receive an exciting book box containing a hand-picked book, our carefully selected gifts, and so much more. Each box is filled with lots of extra information and activities specially designed to enhance their reading enjoyment. As the story captivates your child's imagination, they won't be able to help but feel the anticipation rise to the surface as, at last, they are prompted to open each gift at certain page numbers.

Custom Bookmarks

And if that wasn't enough, make sure to have a look at our custom-made bookmarks with a quote from each book and a unique activity page. Bringing books to life through various mediums is what we do best!

Once Upon a Book Club Book Passport

We like to think of books as a wonderful way for your child to transport themselves into a new world of fun. As you know, every traveler needs a passport which is why we have created a unique Once Upon a Book Club Book Passport so they can track their adventures throughout the year.

Book Subscription Options

We have three bi-monthly kids' book subscription options, so finding the perfect solution has never been easier. Our bi-monthly, 3-box, and 6-box book subscriptions for kids are billed on the 15th of every other month and auto-renewed for your convenience.

Why Reading Challenges Work

Reading challenges turn books into adventures and goals into celebrations. 

They offer:

• A sense of accomplishment.

• A way to explore new genres and authors.

• Social interaction and community building.

• Creative outlets through coloring, journaling, and more.

With these tween reading challenges, 2025 will be a year full of stories, adventures, and growth. So grab those books, print out some posters, and let’s make reading the most exciting activity of the year!

Happy reading! 📚✨