Have you ever read all the way to the end of a book--only to find that you didn't like the way it ended?  It's time to imagine that you're the author of the story and craft your own ending that's even BETTER than the original. 

When an animal in literature is given human traits—such as stories where a rabbit wears a dress, a frog goes to school and plays soccer, or a community of fish lives in a high-tech city made of coral—this is called “personification.” 

Use the literary device of personification to write a short poem about an animal who can talk, cook, build, or do whatever a human can!  Try making it a Limerick, which has a rhyme scheme of AABBA, in which the first, second and fifth line rhyme, while the third and fourth lines are shorter and share a different rhyme.

Here’s an example of a limerick poem about a snoring elephant:

 

An elephant lay in his bunk,

In slumber his chest rose and sunk,

He snored and he snored

Till the jungle folks roared-

Then his wife tied a knot in his trunk.

 

Give it a try to earn READsquared points and a Limerick badge!

Did you know a snail can sleep for three years at a time?  Or that a blue whale can be as long as three Greyhound buses?  Or that sea otters hold each other’s paws when they sleep so they don’t drift apart?

There is so much to learn about the animal kingdom.  In fact, new species are still being discovered, in places like deep jungles, underground, and on the ocean floor! 

For this mission, it’s time for you to become an animal researcher and learn something new about your favorite animal—or an animal you’ve never heard of before! 

You can earn your Animal Researcher badge (and READsquared points!) by reading a non-fiction book about an animal that interests you!  List three unique facts that you learned about this animal below.

They say not to judge a book by its cover...but don't we all?  Be an artist and redesign your own cover for a book you have read this summer.  You can make your cover by drawing, painting, or making a collage.  Upload an image of your cover art and write a short description explaining your artwork and how it relates to the book for an extra 50 points.

Let your voice be heard!  Be a critic and share your opinions about a book you've read this summer!  Your short written review will earn you 50 points!

A list of activities to help you engage with your community in new and meaningful ways.

For participants who weren't able to upload their work here on Missions and sent it to us through email instead, enter your secret code here to receive your bonus points!

Follow the Totowa Public Library on Facebook for an extra 30 points!

Follow the Totowa Public Library on Instagram @totowapl for a bonus 30 points!

Do something nice and show kindness to others! These activities are great ways to show your generosity.

Sometimes the stories about our friends with tails make the most heartwarming tales!  Write a short personal narrative piece—which means write in the first-person perspective about your own experiences—about a pet that has had an impact on you.  Whether it’s a furry friend who is currently part of your family, or your dream pet that you would like to take care of one day, write about what makes this animal so special to you and what makes them a great pet to have.

Your short personal narrative should be at least 200 words or two short paragraphs.  Submit yours below to earn points as well as the Personal Narrative Badge!

Small gestures make the most difference on a daily basis. It's easy to get so preoccupied with our own lives that we forget about others, but with just one simple act of kindness, we can change the way someone else's day goes, and we can better ourselves and the world in the process. This challenge is designed for you to take the time to do something for someone else — and hopefully they will pay it forward to the next person!

Find and read an article about an animal who has done something heroic—like a seeing-eye dog, therapy animal, member of a K-9 police unit, or a pet who helped to get help for someone who was hurt.  Or find an article about an animal in need who was helped by a veterinarian, rescue team, or a compassionate bystander.  Write a short paragraph describing what happened and who the hero was in this story!

Imagine that you are choosing the soundtrack for the movie version of a book you have read this summer.  Pick out at least five (5) songs that remind you of the story, its themes, or the characters, and write a sentence for each explaining how each song relates to the book.   You can earn 50 points for your playlist!

Subscribe to the Totowa Public Library on YouTube, where we post helpful "Totowatorial" videos and event recaps, and earn an extra 30 points!