Q. What is Little Otter's Big Reading Adventure?

Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure is Sarasota County Libraries’ early literacy reading program for children ages 0-6. Learn what counts toward the challenge, how to earn prizes and bonus rewards, and what to do if your family participated in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.

Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure

Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure is an ongoing reading program for children ages 0-6. Families can begin anytime and complete the adventure at their own pace.

Children complete one reading log for every 25 books they read or listen to. After completing a log, bring the Progress Tracker to any Sarasota County library to collect a prize and pick up your next log. Complete 20 reading logs—a total of 500 books—to finish Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure.

Every book counts

Books can be new stories or old favorites. If you read the same book again, count it again! Stories your child hears at preschool or library story time also count, along with chapter books you read together, e-books, audiobooks and bedtime stories.

Whether your child listens to a story or reads it independently, it counts toward their adventure.

Prizes and bonus activities

Children earn a prize for each completed reading log. After completing the 20th log, children can choose a completion prize and receive a certificate.

Families can also complete optional early literacy activities with each reading log. Complete three activities from the Early Literacy Activities List to earn a bonus reward.

Using Beanstack

You can register for Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure using Beanstack or get started by picking up a reading log at any Sarasota County library.

Each completed reading log earns a Beanstack badge. You can record completed logs in Beanstack yourself, or library staff can enter them when you bring your Progress Tracker to the library.

Moving from 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Already participating in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten? You can choose how you would like to begin your Little Otter adventure.

• Start a new adventure. Begin Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure from the beginning and earn all the new prizes as you complete your reading logs.
• Continue your progress. Visit the youth department at any Sarasota County library to transfer your eligible reading progress to Little Otter’s Big Reading Adventure. Prizes already received through 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten cannot be earned again through transferred progress.

Library staff will help determine where your child should begin in Little Otter based on their 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten progress.

This content was edited and reviewed with assistance from ChatGPT, including support for clarity and accessibility considerations. Final review, validation, and approval were completed by County staff.