Since its inception 23 years ago, Lacey Loves to Read has brought our community together through literacy, creativity, and a shared love of stories. Timberland Regional Library is proud to partner each year with North Thurston Public Schools, the City of Lacey, and many dedicated community organizations to make this event possible. What began as a simple effort to inspire young readers has grown into a dynamic, multi-faceted celebration that fosters imagination, creativity, and community.
The engaging activities that make up Lacey Loves to Read:
Bookmark Design Contest: Open to students in grades K-12, this contest celebrates artistic expression while promoting a love of reading.
Read Around Lacey: Young readers in grades K-5 visit local businesses, where they practice their reading skills and discover the role literacy plays in everyday life.
Teen Writing & Art Contest: This contest, hosted by the Lacey Timberland Library since 2014, provides more engagement opportunities for teens. Each year, middle and high school students submit short stories, poetry, and artwork based on a central theme. The winning entries are published in a book available at the Lacey Timberland Library and online at TRL.org.
City Proclamation: Each year, the City of Lacey proclaims the month of February “Lacey Loves to Read Month” at a City Council meeting. Bookmark Grand Prize Winners are also recognized at that City Council meeting.
Featured Author Visit: Lacey Loves to Read culminates in a visit from a distinguished children’s author, who engages with students through school assemblies and a major public event. At the heart of LLTR is the belief that every child should see themselves reflected in the stories they read and the authors they meet. The program brings diverse authors to Lacey, ensuring that young readers can see writers with different backgrounds and lived experiences. This year, the program welcomed Renée Watson, the award-winning author of Piecing Me Together, Black Girl You Are Atlas, and the 2026 Newbery Medal Winner, All the Blues in the Sky, among many other titles.
Finalists in the Teen Writing & Art Contest wrote short stories, poetry, and created art exploring the theme of Home/Location and/or Bodies + Identity/ies.
Coordinated by The Lacey Timberland Library, the Teen Writing & Art Contest and VIP reception gives finalists the opportunity to present their work in an awards ceremony-style event. Poets are encouraged to read their work aloud, cover artists and short story writers share their inspirations, and the community gathers to celebrate young creatives.
This year’s theme, "Home/Location and/or Bodies + Identity/ies," was inspired by Renée Watson’s exploration of both place, and body image in her work. The theme resonated deeply with participants, leading to a record number of submissions. Entries ranged from a dystopian science fiction story, to historical fiction about an interracial relationship.
Providing these young artists and writers with a platform to share their work publicly is about more than just recognition, it’s about helping them develop confidence, find their voice, and gain valuable public speaking experience. Many attendees have shared that these heartfelt acceptance speeches are one of the highlights of the entire LLTR program.
Lacey Loves to Read is more than just a reading initiative, it’s a cornerstone of community-building, literacy, and creative expression in Lacey and continues to grow, creating meaningful opportunities for young readers and artists to engage with literature, self-expression, and their community. Through programs like LLTR, we are helping to shape a community where literacy is celebrated, creativity is nurtured, and diverse voices have the opportunity to be heard.
For more information about Lacey Loves to Read and to view past featured authors, visit Lacey Loves to Read.
For photos of the 2025 VIP event, visit this link.
Lacey Loves to Read is an annual reading initiative in Lacey, Washington. Local teens submit creative works for the Teen Writing & Art Contest as a part of Lacey Loves to Read.
The Library also carries photo books commemorating several years of Lacey Loves to Read:
Lacey Loves to Read 2025: Varian Johnson
Lacey Loves to Read 2023: Dan Gemeinhart / Lacey Timberland Library
