More than 3,000 elementary and middle school students at seven Des Moines-area schools participated this academic year in the Book/Clam-O-Rama.

And the reading will continue on Saturday, April 28, at the Waterland Reading Invitational, when adults get into the act.

The reading events are part of a campaign to raise money to bring a bronze, child-friendly, maritime-themed sculpture to the grounds of the Des Moines Library.

It costs a lot of "clams" to create a sculpture, and for every book students read during the Clam-O-Rama, dozens of local businesses, organizations, and individuals pledged money toward the library's Sculpture Project.

The final Clam-O-Rama tally was 26,281 books read, resulting in pledges of nearly $8,000.

Participating schools were Covenant Home School, Des Moines Elementary, Madrona Elementary, Midway Elementary, North Hill Elementary, Parkside Elementary and Pacific Middle School.

Library patrons, neighbors, church groups, politicians and local businesses, among others, are being urged to organize teams of readers to pick up where the students left off and raise money for the library's sculpture project.

Participants will put their heads together and answer questions about books at the 7 p.m. invitational on April 28.

Deadline for teams to register is April 14.

Prizes will include gift certificates, autographed books, and a grand prize dinner at Red Robin and a cruise of Puget Sound.

The registration fee is $50 for a team of three to five contestants, and $25 for high school or college-student teams.

Admission for audience members is $5 at the door.

For more info, visit the Des Moines Library, or e-mail dmlibrarysculpture@nwlink.com.