To celebrate National Reading Month in March, YDL is excited to announce the 2026 Family Read, sponsored by Flight Path, a Spark of Science @ My Library campaign from HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and STAR Net.
This year’s Family Read features three books instead of one, allowing families to engage at their own reading levels while exploring a shared theme: birds and our connection to the natural world. Birds are amazing creatures that play vital ecological roles; they’re seed dispersers, flower pollinators, pest predators, and so much more. But many of them need our help; habitat loss, urban expansion, and window collisions have put significant strains on wild populations.
The 2026 Family Read titles invite readers to learn, observe, and take action:
- The Secret Language of Birds a chapter book by Lynne Kelly: At summer camp, outsider Nina uncovers a mysterious whooping crane that shouldn’t exist, and in solving the puzzle, begins to find where she belongs.
- Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends an early reader by Wong Herbert Yee: When spring arrives, Mole and Mouse find a unique way to bird watch.
- Sparrow Loves Birds a picture book by Murry Burgess: Meet Sparrow—a curious young birder eager to explore her neighborhood’s surroundings.
From March 1 through April 5, families can attend bird-themed programs to learn about local and migratory birds and discover simple, easy solutions to help protect them. Meet live birds at two programs: Night Owls on March 23, 6:30pm at YDL-Superior and Feathered Friends on March 28, 2pm at YDL-Michigan. Observe birds in nature on a Family Birding Walk at Hewens Creek Park with educator Victor Chen from the Washtenaw Bird and Nature Alliance. Learn about owls and other birds of prey at Understanding Owls on March 14, 2pm at YDL-Whittaker. The month will wrap up with Spring Break activities. You’ll be entered into a raffle to win a copy of one of the books each time you attend a program! Find a full list of library events related to the Family Read on our Family Read homepage.
The Family Read is paired with our Spring Challenge. Starting March 1, pick up a BINGO card at any YDL Youth Desk to earn prizes by reading, learning, and exploring together. Young readers who complete any combination of five activities on the BINGO card throughout the month earn a free book of their choice, thanks to Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and Believe in Reading; adults get a birds of the Midwest identification card. For each extra BINGO kids complete, they get to pick a prize from a Youth Department treasure chest.
Find fun activities you can do at home, including conversation starters, at home activity guides courtesy of Flight Path, and links to videos and activities at ypsilibrary.org/flight.
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Thanks to our sponsors:
