Get Ready for the 11th Annual Read to ME Challenge in February!

For the 11th consecutive year, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is partnering with schools and community organizations across the state to promote the Read to ME Challenge, a month-long public awareness campaign held in February.

The Read to ME Challenge is designed to foster joy in reading and support children’s literacy development by challenging adults to read to and/or with children during the month of February. Participants are invited to capture these moments through photos or short videos and share them on social media using the hashtag #ReadtoME. Readers are also encouraged to challenge their social media connections to participate, helping the impact of this initiative to ripple across Maine.

The 2026 Read to ME Challenge will kick off the first week of February 2026 and will continue through Read Across America Day on March 2, 2026. While anyone may participate, the Challenge offers a particularly meaningful opportunity for schools, childcare programs, libraries, and community organizations to plan engaging activities that highlight a shared commitment to reading with children.

In support of the Maine State Literacy Action Plan, the Maine DOE is strongly encouraging community organizations to collaborate with schools and families during the 2026 Read to Me Challenge. In past years, a wide range of partners have hosted impactful reading events, including college and high school athletic teams, civic organizations, libraries, recreation departments, and education-focused organizations. A list of suggested ideas to spark planning is included at the end of this article.

Learn more about the Read to ME Challenge on the Maine DOE website. Additional details about the kickoff session will be shared soon.

To share photos of your Read to ME Challenge participation with the Maine DOE, please contact Rachel Paling, Maine DOE Communications Outreach Manager, at Rachel.Paling@maine.gov. You may also use the following social media handles to connect with the Maine DOE, and we will share your #ReadtoME social media posts online:

• Facebook: @MaineDepartmentofEducation1!
• Instagram: @mainedepted

Read to ME Challenge Ideas for Community Involvement

• Invite community members into schools as guest or “mystery” readers and consider asking them to share about their professions.
• Partner with local fire departments, police departments, hospitals, health care providers, and businesses.
• Collaborate with public libraries to host special events during the Challenge.
• Engage civic organizations such as Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, Elks Clubs, and Freemasons as guest readers or event sponsors.
• Include afterschool and youth programs such as Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, 21st Century Learning Programs, and teen centers.
• Work with community partners to host family literacy or reading nights.
• Encourage participation from local school board members.
• Create opportunities for middle and high school students to read to younger learners.
• Foster friendly competitions among middle and high school teams or clubs to read to children.
• Use Pine Project books to promote culturally sustaining reading experiences.
• Explore options to expand access for multilingual families, such as QR codes to texts written in a variety of languages.
• Incorporate the Challenge into pre-service teacher preparation courses, such as children’s literature or reading methods.
• Partner with Foster Grandparent Programs and Aging in Place committees.
• Seek support from literacy volunteer organizations and dyslexia centers.
• Plan a Community Reads event in which one book is selected for shared reading and discussion across the community.

For further information and questions about the Read to ME Challenge, please contact Lee Anne Larsen, Maine DOE Director of Early Learning, at Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov.