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Young man reading a book outdoors on steps 

TeenTober

Reading Challenge and Creative Contest

QC area teens ages 11-19 are invited to participate in a reading challenge and/or contests during the month of October. All participants will be invited to the Teentober Red Carpet Awards Event on November 14 at the Putnam Museum and Science Center.

Reading Challenge

Read and log 1,000 minutes during the month of October to automatically get entered into a gift card raffle. Plus, participation in the reading challenge gets you an invitation to the Red Carpet Awards Event at the Putnam where you can walk the red carpet, dine in the Putnam, and watch all the art submissions on the giant screen!

Log your minutes on Beanstack or grab a paper log at the library on October 1.

Register

Creative Contest

Announcement for 2026 TeenTober Art Contest Theme "I Volunteer" with graphics of hands holding out various creative instruments, such as a pen, a paintbrush, a microphone, and a cameraTeens ages 11-19 from the QC area can create a short film, a piece of writing, or a piece of art that showcases their creativity and connects to the 2026 theme: "I Volunteer."

All entries should be "rated" PG-13 or under and be appropriate for general audiences. Submit original work and do not use copyrighted work or characters.

Who can enter?

Teens ages 11-19 from the QC area. Teens can work on their own or in teams of up to 5 members and can submit only one entry per contest category. A Google account is needed to submit entries through the online form.

What are the categories?

  • Visual Performance: Videos must be under 5 minutes.
  • 2D Art: Art entries must be submitted digitally. Let us know if you need help scanning your work.
  • Writing Contest: Writing entries must be 1,000 words or less.
  • 3D Art: Art entries must be submitted digitally. Let us know if you need help scanning your work.
  • Writing: Writing entries must be 1000 words or less.

What are the prizes?

Grand Prize winners will be chosen by the QC Librarians and will receive $50 gift cards. Additional special awards will be given out at the Teentober Red Carpet Awards Event on November 14 at the Putnam Museum and Science Center.

When are submissions due?

All contest entries must be submitted no later than October 31, 2026. For more information and to upload your entry, click the button below.

Upload Your Submission

Questions?

If you have questions are need help submitting your contest entry, contact Young Adult Librarian Katie Jackson at kjackson@bettendorf.org.