Axolotls are having a moment! This endangered species has captured the imagination of animal lovers around the world. Axolotls are a wildly popular amphibian known for their adorable smiles and feather like fringe.
Thanks to the many Axolotl fans in Whitby, the Library’s A lot of Axolotls Reading Challenge is raking in massive numbers. This all-ages program has four times more active readers than last year’s reading challenge. So far, collectively, Axolotl readers have clocked 724,629 minutes, with kids reading 370,901 minutes so far! (That’s 6181 hours) The challenge is also rooted in a fun competition between children, teens, and adults.
The challenge has been so successful, the staff member who created the program, was invited to present at a webinar to share the story behind the huge engagement numbers. Jay told the group he relied heavily on visibility as a promotional strategy.
“We filled a fish tank with jars to help track reading minutes and added loads of fun decoration that make for a great conversation starter”, says Jay. “Everyone also really wants the Axolotl stickers and prizes!”
As for how you pronounce their name, it’s “AX-o-lot-ul”, it rhymes with bottle. The term originates from the Aztecs’ Nahuatl language, and it’s a combination of “atl” (water) and “Xolotl” (dog or servant).
The A Lot of Axolotls Reading Challenge runs until May 24.
