Check Out the 9 Best Summer Reading Programs for 2024 (Earn FREE Books, Pizza, & More!)
These 2024 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 2024..
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.
From July 1st 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, 2024. Find a location near you.
- Choose a free book from the titles listed in 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! Your offer for free play points is valid until December 31, 2025.
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 or children now, and beginning on June 1st 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 another year.
Beginning May 21, Kellogg’s Feeding Reading program will give away two FREE books when you buy one qualifying Kellogg’s cereal and one qualifying partner product in the same transaction.
There are 140 titles to choose from and you can get up to 20 FREE books per participant! 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 cereal along with one qualifying partner product (see the full list of eligible products).
- 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 10/30/24.
- Earn credits to redeem the book(s) of your choice to keep or donate. Credits must be redeemed by 11/15/24.
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.
Due to an overwhelming response, the 2024 Camp BOOK IT! summer program is now closed. Bummer!
Students entering Pre-K through 6th grade (ages 4-12) can now enroll in the Pizza Hut Camp Book It Program for the summer of 2024!
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! Visit the official Pizza Hut Camp Book It website to enroll and print your free monthly calendars.
Participate in Scholastic’s Summer Reading Program!
Now through September 12th, 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 that is moderated for safety 24/7.
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 their 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!
Sonlight gives away FREE summer reading kits!
Download and print a free summer reading kit from Sonlight. Each kit has a plethora of activities for your child to do. You’ll receive punch cards, genre charts, reading logs, reading bingo, a list of books you can watch as movies, a book bracket and awards activity, and more!
Books aren’t included with the kit, but if you find titles at your local library, you can read for free!
Hip Tip: Other places to find reading resources and activities include the non-profit Reading is Fundamental, the Reading Rockets program which offers reading adventure packs for children, and the free app BookShare.
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, like the Collaborative Summer Library Program, in addition to FREE storytime, 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.
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!
The new Kelloggs Reading program is really confusing. I see a list of Kelloggs cereals followed by Silk, Tropicana and Ziplock products. It does not differentiate between Kelloggs and participating products. Everything is listed as qualifying products. How do we differentiate?
Pizza Hut’s Book It is closed, how many digital coupons did they cap it at? 😩
Bummer! Thanks for letting us know, Hallie. Hoping you can sign-up next summer! 🤞
Check your local sports teams too – the Tampa Bay Rays has a summer reading program here, so I’m sure other teams do too.
How neat! Thanks for the tip, Jenn! Good to know!