Turning Pages & Earning Rewards: 2025 Summer Reading Adventures for Kids
As summer approaches, it’s the perfect time to keep young minds active and engaged through reading. Participating in summer reading programs not only encourages kids’ love for books but also helps prevent the “summer slide,” ensuring that children retain the literacy skills they’ve developed during the school year. Here are some exciting and updated summer reading programs for 2025:
Pizza Hut’s Camp BOOK IT! (June-August 2025)
Pizza Hut continues its tradition of encouraging young readers through the Camp BOOK IT! Program. Designed for children in PreK through 6th grade, this free, digital, parent-led program rewards kids with a free Personal Pan Pizza when they meet their monthly reading goals. Enrollment is open now for the summer session running from June through August 2025.
Scholastic Summer Reading on Home Base (May 9-September 12, 2025)
Scholastic invites kids to join their Summer Reading on Home Base program, a free digital destination that offers stories, games, and a safe community for readers. From May 9 through September 12, 2025, children can explore new books, track their reading streaks, and earn rewards, all while helping to unlock book donations for kids with limited access to books.
Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp (July-August 2025)
Half Price Books brings back its Summer Reading Camp, encouraging kids to read and earn rewards. During July and August 2025, young readers can visit their local HPB store with completed reading logs to receive $5 Bookworm Bucks, redeemable for books and other items in-store. The program also offers printable activities and book recommendations to keep children engaged all summer long.
Earn a free book with Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program. From July 1 to August 31, kids in grades 1-6 get a free book when they read any eight books and record them in the Summer Reading Journal (see links in website). Plus, they both have English and Spanish reading logs! When done, just bring it to the Barnes and Noble store to choose your free book.
Local Library Summer Reading Programs
Don’t forget to check out the summer reading programs at your local library! Many libraries offer reading challenges, storytimes, and special events designed to keep children excited about reading throughout the summer months. These programs are often free and provide a great way to connect with the community.
Encouraging your child to participate in these programs can make reading a fun and rewarding part of their summer adventure. Happy reading!
Jann Fujimoto, MS CCC-SLP, picks at least one book each summer that she has previously read in high school or college to see if the story still lands with her in the same way. She’s a speech-language pathologist and owner of SpeechWorks in Oconomowoc, WI. SpeechWorks helps children become confident communicators.