How to Participate
1. Put a reading club together
Who can participate?
- Grade 4, 5, or 6 class in a school
- A club formed by staff in a public or school library
- A club formed by a parent or a community organization
- A homeschool club
- A solo reader
Club Size?
The size of the club is up to you. Before COVID-19 we recommended clubs of 10-30 readers, but if you have a reader who wants to take part on their own, or if they form a small club with a few of their friends, you’re more than welcome to register.
2. Register
Visit our registration page to register online
– or –
Mail us a cheque:
Download and print our mail-in registration form
Download our full registration brochure
3. Log in and download the Project Kit
Hackmatack reading clubs get exclusive access to our project kits, which include discussion topics and activity ideas, author bios, reading logs, printable reader certificates, and more.
4. Get the books
Many libraries have Hackmatack shortlisted titles available to borrow. If you’re buying books, you can order them from any bookseller that offers delivery.
There are a number of independent booksellers in Atlantic Canada, and some are able to offer discounts on Hackmatack shortlisted titles. They’re happy to take your order and help you arrange for delivery or pickup. Visit our booksellers page for the list (we love our independent booksellers).
5. Read
Keep track of what your club members have read. The project kit includes reading log sheet as well as club progress charts.
6. Vote
- To be eligible to vote, readers must be registered with Hackmatack and read at least 5 of our shortlisted books in a single category. Readers can vote for English selections, French selections, or both.
- There are official voting tally sheets in the project kits for club leaders to submit to Hackmatack. Votes are counted at the Hackmatack office and the winner in each category (English Fiction, English Nonfiction, French Fiction, and French Nonfiction) is announced at the Hackmatack Award ceremony in the spring.
- The deadline to vote is April 30, 2023.
7. Attend an author visit (if you like)
We plan to offer both virtual and in-person author visits in the spring of 2024. Stay tuned for details.
8. Attend the awards ceremony (if you can)
Our awards ceremony will take place at the Halifax Central Library on May 31, 2024. We look forward to welcoming our readers for our lively annual celebration!
9. Share your success stories!
Hackmatack reading clubs have all kinds of creative fun and great discussions with the books. Let us know what you’re up to! Share your experiences with other clubs. Just email hackmatack@hackmatack.ca and we will post them on our social media channels.
Do you have more questions? Check out our FAQ