Legendary Readers
Kent District Library
Innovation Synopsis
Michigan ranks 44th in childhood reading scores, and Kent District Library set out to make literacy goals attainable and equitable for all readers. Legendary Readers invites K–5 students on a magical creature-themed quest, encouraging 100 days of reading, writing or library visits that make literacy engaging, achievable and fun. Designed and co-created to dovetail with KDL’s Summer Wonder program, it fosters year-round habit-building, so reading becomes a sustained and joyful part of daily life. With a new creature each year, the program sustains excitement across grade levels and helps students develop lifelong literacy habits.
Challenge/Opportunity
- Michigan ranks 44th in childhood reading scores, and the state’s “Read by Grade Three” law has increased pressure on schools and families without adequately addressing motivation or access.
- Mission Read, a prior countywide initiative, required 1000 days of reading, an unattainable goal for struggling readers. Participation dropped sharply at each 100-day milestone.
- By Sep. 2023, only 12% of participants (842 of 6479) completed the program.
- Participants were primarily “power readers” already supported by adults & educators, missing the target audience of struggling readers.
- Mission Read served only K–3 students, leaving older students without incentives to sustain engagement.
- Partners & other libraries gradually withdrew, leaving KDL to absorb costs for all participants.
- Prizes valued at $50–$80 made the model financially unsustainable.
- KDL created a more inclusive and motivating literacy program that rewards persistence & celebrates student effort at all reading levels
Key Elements of Innovation
Theme: K-5 patrons voted from four options to select the program’s new creature theme at polls in the children's areas, making it community-driven and exciting.
Structure: School-year challenge (Sept-June) with 100 days of reading, writing or visiting the library.
Sustainability: Cost per completer was reduced from $50-80 to about $3.
Instead of $50–$80 per completer, prizes are now around $3 per completer. The program repeats every 6 years, which allows reuse of marketing materials and prizes.
Flexibility & Equity: Multiple ways to participate ensure access for all students & families.
Partners: Educators provided input on strategy, barriers to participation, and prize options via survey and meetings and eagerly promoted its launch.
Marketing: Branded shirts, stickers, hidden “Nessies” in the stacks, and displays added whimsy and high visibility.
Prizes: Reading adjacent prizes - Loch Ness bookmarks & mini flashlights, plus the chance to win local bookstore gift cards.
Achieved Outcomes
1,135 students completed Legendary Readers in its inaugural year (2024-25), up from 206 Mission Reader completers the previous year – a fivefold increase in participation.
Cost per completer dropped from $50-$80 to $3-$5, ensuring long-term sustainability and prizes were reading-aligned and teacher-informed.
Staff reported strong enthusiasm, with students excited for their prize and parents praising the simple, flexible activity tracking.
Future partnerships with Grand Rapids Rise and Griffins sport teams– whose mascots align with future creature themes – will expand visibility and community reach.
Impact: The program reignited excitement for reading, fostered year-round literacy habits, and created buy-in among students, families, educators and schools.
