penguin in snow, wearing an exercise headband

Winter Reading Marathon

Can you read a total of 26.2 hours this winter?

Join Online

How to Get Started

Register online on ReadSquared beginning December 21st.

Have you or your child participated in MCPL’s Summer or Winter Reading Challenges before? You can use your same ReadSquared username and password; once you login, then select “2026 Winter Reading Marathon” to register.

Don’t remember your password? You can reset it. Need assistance registering? Call or visit your local library branch.

On December 21, start tracking and logging your hours read; we’ll give you a 0.2 hour head start!

How to Win

Everyone who signs up will receive a lanyard. For every four hours read, earn a brag tag or button to celebrate your winter reading journey.

Read an entire marathon worth of books (26.2 hours) and be automatically entered into a prize raffle and earn a voucher for one-free book one of Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, MD, Inc. bookstores.

All prizes are while supplies last.

Prizes

Join the Winter Reading Marathon and you could earn:

  • A lanyard at sign-up.
  • A small charm, button or brag tag for every four hours read, up to six per person.
  • Entry into a system-wide raffle for ages 0-5, 6-12, 13-18, and 19+
  • A voucher for one-free book from Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, MD, Inc. upon completion.

*All prizes are while supplies last