If you grew up in the 90’s you’ll likely remember Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! Program. You had to fill out a piece of paper and take it into your local Pizza Hut and they’d reward you with a personal pan pizza. It was one of the most epic summer experiences and we’re here to tell you, you can relive your childhood – through your kids – still today! BOOK IT! is still around. And we’ve got wind of quite a few other summer reading programs for kids too. Check out these programs in the list below!
The BOOK IT! Program
Starting with the aforementioned BOOK IT! Program. This variation of the program centers around an app for your phone. You just have to sign in, sign up and get logging.
During the summer months of June, July, and August, any child that meets their parent-set reading goals can earn a free Pizza Hut® single topping Personal Pan Pizza®* from participating locations. Use the BOOK IT!® Mobile App to set goals, track progress, and redeem rewards.
In addition to their summer reading program they also have a BOOK IT! School Program that allows you to earn a personal pan pizza by reading through the months of October – March 31st.
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program
This one is simple and excellent. Kids in grades 1–6 read eight books, write a little about them in a reading journal, and then get a free book from Barnes & Noble.
Participation is a fun and easy way for kids to earn free books. They simply read a designated number of books – library books, books borrowed from friends or books bought at Barnes & Noble – write about their favorite part in our Reading Journal, and bring a completed Reading Journal to a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Children then choose their free book from the books listed on the Reading Journal and collect their free book from a store near them during July and August.
Chuck E. Cheese “Page Turning Pro Award”
Read books. Get game tokens. Extremely awesome system. Kids can track reading for two weeks and earn free play points with a food purchase. Especially good motivation for kids who have a little extra pep in their system. Great for parents too because we get to sit down and “relax” for a little bit.
How It Works
It’s simple, motivating, and ready to celebrate:
- Print the Certificate: Download and print the Page Turning Pro Award to have it ready for their special moment.
- Set a Reading Goal: Choose what milestone earns the award—finishing a book, reading every day for a week, improving fluency, or reaching a new reading level.
- Celebrate the Achievement: When they reach their goal, fill in their name, date, and teacher or parent signature, then present it with plenty of excitement (applause encouraged!).
- Reward Their Reading: Pair the certificate with 10 Free Play Points to turn their reading success into well-earned fun.
The Big Reward
Once your Page Turning Pro earns their certificate, celebrate with a visit to your local Chuck E. Cheese! Present the completed award at checkout with any food purchase to redeem 10 Free Play Points. It’s the perfect way to turn great reading habits into even greater fun!
Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp
Half Price Books gives kids “Bookworm Bucks” for completing reading goals over the summer, which they can then spend on books. Which is honestly a dangerous amount of power to hand a child.
Also: Your Local Library Is Definitely Doing Something Cool
Seriously. Libraries are the place to be over the summer. With air conditioning and many having epic places for kids to read, they’re a great place to hang out when it’s hot outside. Not only that but a lot of them have reading challenges, prize drawings, animal exhbits like “Read to a Reptile” or “Read to a Dog” and other performers that come and put on shows. Not only that but they have a number of teen events, D&D groups, scavenger hunts, and more. So there’s something for all ages! If you haven’t checked your library’s summer programming yet, it’s worth a look.
