Get your students ready to read their way across the country! This March, our Read Across America Challenge, sponsored by Epic, invites schools nationwide to celebrate the joy of reading, diversity, and discovery.
Designed for students in grades PK–8, this nationwide challenge encourages readers to explore stories that open doors to new places, cultures, and perspectives. From the Great Plains to bustling coastal cities like New York and Los Angeles, students can travel the United States through books—no permission slips required.
Read, Explore, Discover America
Read Across America is a nationwide celebration of reading that invites students to experience the joy and power of reading. Through this challenge, reading becomes an adventure as students log their reading and earn fun, themed badges along the way.
Each page turned opens a window to real places across the United States, through stories rooted in authentic settings. Students might journey to Hawai'i with Ho‘onani: Hula Warrior, feel the rhythm of New Orleans in The 5 O’Clock Band, or explore Arizona’s desert landscape through the unique perspective of Cactus Hotel. Together, these stories help build connections to geography, culture, and community—making Read Across America a truly meaningful experience.
Prizes
All participating K-8 schools are eligible to join the challenge for a chance to win prizes from Epic, awarded to the top-performing communities:
🏆 Grand Prize (1 school)
Virtual author visit from Matt Cody, author of Cat Ninja, plus five signed book copies to use as giveaways!
🌟 Honorable Mention (4 schools)
A bundle of ten new books for your library.
🎉 Runner Up (5 schools)
$100 to host a library celebration.
Join Us This March
With Beanstack and Epic, participating in Read Across America is simple and impactful. Beanstack provides the tools to track reading and motivate students, while Epic offers access to thousands of high-quality digital books that help readers explore new worlds and ideas.
Already using Beanstack? Check out the launch kit and learn how to set up a challenge now! Not a Beanstack partner, and want to learn more? Get in touch.