Are you looking for ways to encourage your kids to read more this summer? Summer reading programs are one way to do that. All of these programs are free, and most offer prizes to reward your child for reading. Kids can earn free books, pizza, and more for reading! Choose one (or several!) and keep your kids reading all summer.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

At Barnes and Noble, kids in grades 1st through 6th are awarded a free book for reading eight books over the summer. They must record the books they read in this printable journal and turn it in at any Barnes and Noble store between July 1, 2023, and August 31, 2023.

Books-A-Million Summer Reading Adventure

Participants in Books-A-Million’s summer reading program choose any four books to read from the Summer Reading Adventure section, either in-store or online, and record the books in the printable logbook. Return the completed logbook to any store for an Eragon water bottle (while supplies last).

Pizza Hut Camp Book It!

Pizza Hut Camp Book It is open to students in Pre-K through 6th grade (ages 4-12). Parents set reading goals for June through August. When students meet their goals, they are rewarded with a certificate that’s good for a one-topping Personal Pan Pizza. They also offer the Book It! program during the school year from October through March. Kids can earn a free Personal Pan Pizza each month for meeting their reading goal. See their FAQs page for more information about both programs.

Chuck E. Cheese Rewards Calendars

Chuck E. Cheese awards children ten free Play Points (with food purchase) for reading every day for two weeks. Simply mark each day your child reads on this printable calendar and bring it to any location. This is a year-round program. Chuck E. Cheese also offers similar awards for good grades, doing chores, meeting other goals, birthdays, and other special occasions.

Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesdays

Each Wednesday, Showcase Cinemas gives kids free admission to a select children’s film when they present a book report at the box office of participating locations. Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six years old will also receive free admission without submitting a book report. The tickets must be reserved in advance online. Showcase Cinemas has locations in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Ohio.

Half Price Book’s Summer Reading Camp

Half Price Book’s Summer Reading Camp begins June 1, 2023, and runs through July 31, 2023. This virtual reading camp provides reading lists, activity ideas, and coloring sheets. During July and August, “campers” can visit their local Half Price Books with their completed reading logs to receive $5 Bookworm Bucks, which are good for $5 off anything in the store. The Bookworm Bucks are not redeemable online.

SYNC Audiobooks

SYNC Audiobooks is a summer reading program geared toward teens 13 and older. The program gives participants two free thematically paired audiobook checkouts per week for 14 weeks (April 27 – August 2, 2023). The books are available on Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive.

Public Libraries

Public libraries often offer a summer reading program, so check with your local library to see if they have one. Some libraries host educational events and storytimes over the summer. Many will also provide a prize for meeting summer reading goals. To find libraries in your area, check out the directory at PublicLibraries.com or try Googling “library summer reading challenges in  [your city]” or “summer reading programs for kids near me.”

Local Businesses

Many local or regional businesses offer summer reading programs with prizes or fun activities. Try Googling “summer reading in [your city or state].” Also, keep an eye out for these programs on social media. Facebook pages for local homeschool groups are a great place to check. If your city has an online community calendar, look there too.

More Summer Reading Activities

While these programs don’t provide prizes, they do offer fun activities or printables.

Sonlight’s Summer Reading Challenge Kit– This 25-page printable includes activity ideas, a reading log, bookmarks, a book report template, a reader’s response journal, a certificate of completion, and much more.
Reading is Fundamental’s Summer Field Trips– With this program, kids visit exciting places through books. There are printable reading logs, postcards, and scrapbook pages for them to record their “field trips.”
Scholastic Home Base– Home Base is a digital destination that offers stories, games, and a community of readers. Kids read ebooks, watch author read-alouds, attend virtual events, earn virtual rewards, and print reading achievement reports.
The Good and the Beautiful– TGTB’s six-page printable includes colorful summer reading charts, logs, and bookmarks.

Read Free Ebooks

If you aren’t able to get to the library, here are some places your family can read books online to meet your summer reading goals:

Free Ebooks
Free Vintage Readers
Free Nature Readers

I hope your family enjoys all of these free summer reading resources and has an excellent summer!

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Note: This post was originally published on May 13, 2021, and is updated every summer.