Best 2023 Summer Reading Programs | Earn FREE Books + More!
These summer reading programs will keep kids learning all summer long!
Keep your kids reading throughout the summer! 📚
If you’re looking for a summer boredom buster and hoping to keep your children reading while school’s out, there are lots of free reading programs available for kids this year! Here are some of the best FREE free summer reading programs happening in 2023.
NOTE – Bookmark this page and keep checking back, as we will continue to update this post with any additional summer reading programs that become available!
Kids can earn a FREE book from the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program.
Now through August 31st, Barnes & Noble is hosting a Summer Reading Program, where kids in grades 1-6 can earn a completely FREE book by following these easy steps:
- Download the summer reading journal, or pick one up at your local Barnes & Noble store.
- Have your child read ANY eight books this summer and record them in the journal. They’ll need to share the book’s title and author, along with their favorite part of each book.
- Head to your nearest Barnes & Noble and turn in the completed journal between July 1 and August 31, 2023. Find a location near you.
- Choose a free book from the titles listed on the reading journal!
Earn Play Points from Chuck E. Cheese.
Chuck E. Cheese has a Reading Rewards Calendar that kids can complete over the summer. Just read every day for two weeks, track your progress on the calendar, then trade it in for 10 FREE play points at your local Chuck E. Cheese.
Even better, your child can start working on a new calendar every two weeks for multiple redemptions all summer long!
Half Price Books is holding a free Reading Camp this summer.
This summer, Half Price Books will offer its popular Summer Reading Camps again. Register your child(ren) now, and beginning on June 1 they’ll get access to themed book recommendations, printables, crafts, and fun activities all summer long!
After you’ve completed the online registration, stop by a Half-Price Books location to pick up your camper’s Reward Map. Once completed, your child’s reading log can be redeemed to earn $5 Bookworm Bucks!
Kellogg’s Feeding Reading Program is Back for a 5th Year.
Beginning May 21, Kellogg’s Feeding Reading program will give away FREE Penguin Random House Books with the purchase of select Kellogg’s products!
Even better, you can get up to 10 free books with your Kellogg’s purchases! There are so many different participating products that you can buy, so getting your free books is easy! Here’s how:
- Buy any participating Kellogg’s product in-store.
- Take a picture of your receipt.
- Visit FeedingReading.com and upload your receipt within 30 days of purchase. Each receipt must be uploaded separately by 10/30/23.
- Earn credits to redeem the book(s) of your choice to keep or donate. (Credits must be redeemed by 11/15/23).
Receive a FREE T-shirt from Mensa for Kids.
The Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading program is open to all readers under the age of 18, and it will keep your kids reading high-quality literature all summer long!
To participate, kids can select one of these reading lists based on their grade level or reading ability. Then, print the appropriate list and have your child read all the books on it. Your child can track their progress by checking off each book and recording the date it was read, along with a rating.
After both the reader and an adult have signed the completed list, it can be sent to the Mensa Foundation at the address provided. Once the list is received, your child will get a commemorative certificate and an Excellence in Reading T-shirt, too!
Earn FREE pizza from the Pizza Hut Camp Book-It reading program.
Students entering PreK through 6th grade (ages 4-12) can now enroll in the Pizza Hut Camp Book It Program for the summer of 2023!
This parent-led summer reading program will track and reward your kids’ reading for June, July, and August. When a child meets their reading goal, they’ll receive a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut!
Participate in Scholastic’s Summer Reading Program!
Now through September 7th, kids can participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Program. Participants will get access to the Scholastic Home Base, a free digital community full of books, live events, and games in a kid-safe environment.
Readers will be encouraged to track their reading streaks to earn rewards, unlock fun digital experiences, and donate books to communities in need. Head on over to the Scholastic Summer Reading website to learn more.
Enjoy Bookworm Wednesdays at Showcase Cinemas.
The Bookworm Wednesdays reading program at Showcase Cinemas entitles kids to free admission to select children’s films when they present a book report at a participating box office.
Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six years of age also receive free admission – no book report required!
Teens get 2 FREE Sora audiobooks per week this summer from SYNC.
SYNC is a free summer audiobook program for teens ages 13 and up. Registration for the 2023 season is now open and FREE to all teens!
This year’s summer reading program will last through August 2. Each week, SYNC participants will receive two thematically paired audiobooks delivered through the student reading app Sora. By the end of the program, teens will have had the opportunity to listen to 28 new titles! Check out our Sora Reading App post to learn more about this program.
Check with your public library for local summer reading programs.
Be sure to check your local public library, as many of them will have summer reading programs for kids in addition to FREE storytimes, family movie days, kids clubs, activities, and more throughout the summer!
My library is doing an Adult Reading Program in addition to the Children and Teen Reading Programs this summer.
I won a Samsung table from my library’s adult summer reading program two years ago! And a $25 Starbucks gift card another year. Local libraries rock!
Mine did too! I think I had just as much fun participating as a grown-up as I did as a kid in their programs. Libraries are awesome!
Hi Susan – how fun! What library?
I’m not Susan, but if you can’t find anything on your library’s website, try Googling your library and the phrase “summer reading” or “summer learning”. My own library doesn’t have anything on their home page, but if I google it, I find the summer reading page that way. Last year, I signed up my 6 year old for the summer reading program and a librarian encouraged me to create my own account to participate as well. After she read a certain number of books, they gave her a nylon bag filled with goodies including a book.
Yes! My former library in MA did this too. With prizes. It was thoughtful and fun to participate along with the kids. You never outgrow good books.
Thank you so much for posting and encouraging summer reading! I am a retired reading specialist, and it just warms my heart to see this. Parents always ask what they can do to help their child or young adult become a better reader. The answer is to READ! Challenge them slightly but don’t get books that will frustrate them.
Thank you, Hip2Save!
Aww, You’re so welcome, Cindy! Thanks for taking the time to share with us. 🤗❤️🥰
Thanks so much for this post!! I sent it to my sisters who all have children the perfect age! I remember doing a lot of these programs as a kid! Loved picking out a free book at Barnes N Noble! So glad they’re still running this!
You are welcome, Brandy! I hope their kiddos enjoy this as much as you did!📚
Thank you! I’m trying to instill my love of reading to my 8 year old and after all this time he, finally wants to read by himself before bed each night.
You are welcome, TiffMeow! It’s so sweet that he wants to read on his own! Good job, MOM!😍
Anyone know if Kellogg’s is doing their reading program this summer? We’ve received SO many great books that way for my kids and we up-cycle into our Little Free Library on our front lawn.
I’ve been watching and waiting. We don’t have our own Little Free Library, but we also add our free books to those libraries after we’re finished with them. It’s such a nice program and I hope it’s repeated this year. We’ve found several favorite series that way!
That’s so great to hear, Renee! So glad you’re finding free ways to enjoy reading this summer! 🥰
yes, Gina, just saw it the other day, I love it too for the nephews and cousin’s granddaughter—–starting 5/21 https://www.kelloggspromotions.com/en_US/feeding-reading-2023/coming-soon.html ——look for KFR promos still thru their normal page, scroll to the bottom to promos
Mensa for Kids’ Excellence in Reading Program can be completed at any time and participants receive a T-shirt and certificate. https://www.mensaforkids.org/achieve/excellence-in-reading/
Thanks for the heads up! Good to know!
For those parents who are concerned with the indoctrination of your kids, stay away from the SYNC reading program. It is filled with woke propaganda.
Thanks Kelly! Good to know ☺️
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No need to stay away at all. You pick what you want to download by individual title. Nothing is mandatory to be read. Personally I’m looking forward to learning about Lise Meitzner, a groundbreaking physicist, listening to Lewis Carroll’s classics, Langston Hughes novel of family life, the true story of Adam Mako, a World War II American tank gunner, as well as Plato’s The Republic.