MATTAPOISETT — Summer isn’t the only season set aside for pleasure reading.

Young people are encouraged to read a variety of books and select their favorites during the relatively quiet months of January through April 24 through the Quahog Book Award, which began Jan. 9 at Mattapoisett Free Public Library.

The program, which is open to youngsters in grades three to six, “livens things up’’ during the sometimes grey winter months, said Library Technician Lynn Haugen.

Once the young people have registered, they can explore the books in each level. Level one is the simplest; level four is the most challenging.

Each level features five books, with a variety of topics. “It’s an interesting mix,’’ Haugen said. “We work on not having all the books be similar.’’ Genres can  include historical fiction, poetry, science fiction and animal stories, among other themes, she said.

The readers’ favorite choices create “a-ha’’ moments for the library staff, Haugen said. They can never predict what books will be especially popular, so learning what the young people like helps them better stock their shelves with popular selections, she said. This provides “some new ideas on what to look for,’’ she said.

The popular genres vary by year, she said. Mysteries were popular one year, but another year can bring another selection to the winner’s circle.

Before the young people start their reading, library staff members also read _ a lot. Haugen said they read a large selection of reviews of the best books of 2023. “We’re reading a lot of reading reviews, then a lot of reading books.’’ They choose more recent selections to ensure the choices are fresh, she said.

Once each book is completed, the young readers answer questions about each selection in a reading log that is provided to them. Readers also vote for their favorite books.

Participants must read at least five books. By finishing a complete level, they are invited to go to a pizza party at the end of the program. Registration ends March 3; the program concludes April 14.

The books with the highest ratings earn the Quahog Book Award. Last year’s winners were “The Haunted Mustache’’ by Joe McGee; “A Rover’s Story’’ by Jasmine Warga; “Odder’’ by Katherine Applegate; and “Hummingbird’’ by Natalie Lloyd.

But this year’s choices will be anyone’s guess.

Even when the same youngsters participate each year, “as they’re growing, their tastes change,’’ Haugen said. “The fun part is getting them to try new and different things.’’