Summer Reading Challenge FAQs

Q: How many tracks can I enter?
A: Each person can only enter one track. However, if you enter the Ultimate track but do not win a prize, you will receive the Ishmael reward as long as you have completed 1,500 points.
 
Q: What are the deadlines?
A: The deadlines are as follows:
 
Ultimate Challenge: August 31st
Ishmael and Teddy: September 15th
 
Q: How many times can I do each activity?
A: There are only two activities which are limited:
 
a.       Suggest three friends. (You can do this up to 2 times, for a total of 100 points. Technically, that would mean suggesting six friends, but we encourage you to submit more if you think of them!)
b.      Bible memory: The first three verses (from one book or from a variety of books) will count as 150 points, to get a child motivated. After that, each verse counts as 10 points, and you can earn a total of 300 points (counting the 150 from the first three) for scripture memory. We don't want to make it seem like we're not emphasizing scripture memory--because we highly value it! But we also want to get people reading--that is one of the main goals of the Summer Reading Challenge.

Q: Can I use Christian biographies that are not carried by Lamplighter?
A: Yes.

Q: How many times can I read a book for the summer reading challenge?
 
A: If you read the book to yourself, you earn points for reading the story. If you choose to read it to yourself again, you do not earn any additional points. However, if you later read the story with or to a parent/grandparent/friend/sibling/elderly person/widow, you earn the amount of points specified under that activity. The same goes for audio dramas.
 
Q: How many children can register per family?
A: There is no limit to the number of participants per family.
 
Q: Is there an age limit for the Summer Reading Challenge?
A: No! Any and all ages are welcome to get involved. Although the program is primarily geared toward children, we’re thrilled that adults want to participate as well!
 
Q: Can families do activities together?
A: Yes, please do! As long as each child is involved somehow, please feel free to do activities together.
 
Q: If I buy a new Lamplighter book and my children read it, can I count it as 150 points for each child?
A: The intention behind the "buy a new Lamplighter book" activity is this. Maybe your children will save money to buy one by doing a car wash for the neighbors, helping around the house, or selling lemonade! The point here is for children to value the worth of a book, and work to buy or earn the book. At the same time, we realize that it may not always be practical for you to have each child trying to earn all the money they need for a book, especially by the end of this program. If that's the case, then maybe mommy and daddy can buy the books, but the children have to do certain extra chores to earn the new book. Does that make sense? For a child to get the extra 50 points for a "new" book, he should invest some sort of effort.
 
Q: The point categories each list a lot of activities. Do I have to complete all those activities to earn that many points?
A: No. Each activity within a point category is worth the amount of points specified. For example, under the 50-point category, if you suggest three friends, you earn 50 points. If you choose to give a Lamplighter book as a gift (another 50 point activity) you earn another 50 points.