When summer comes, I find myself scrambling to keep the kids entertained with free things to do and to keep them away from screens if I can. Thankfully, there are kids’ summer reading programs to help me during these school-free months. Even better, kids can get some awesome freebies just for reading, earning things like books, reward badges, pizza, and more. Barnes & Noble and Pizza Hut have just confirmed their summer reading programs are back for summer 2025.
We’ve put together a list of options for your summer that reward kids of all ages for reading, so between free museum visits and crafting projects (and whatever else you fill the summer with), your kids can also learn to enjoy reading by diving into as many books as possible this summer.
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Your kid can earn free personal pan pizzas with Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT this summer.
Pizza Hut BOOK IT is back for summer 2025 (and it's been renamed from "Camp BOOK IT" to "Summer of Stories"). But just like in past years, kids can earn free Personal Pan Pizzas all summer long (in June, July, and August) by reading books.
Here's how it works for summer 2025:
1. Parents download the BOOK IT app (available in the Apple Store and, soon, on Google Play).
2. Parents use the app to set reading goals for June, July, and August.
3. As your kids meet those goals for each month, they unlock a free 1-topping Personal Pan Pizza. You'll see a "Claim Reward" option appear in the app, with instructions for how to get a personal coupon code for the pizza at a participating location.
There's a limit of one pizza per month per child and a per-family limit of five pizzas per month. A Personal Pan Pizza is $6.69 by me (prices may vary), so if your kid earns all three pizzas, that's a $20.07 value for the summer.
Get a free book with Barnes & Noble’s Reading Program
The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program welcomes children in grades 1 - 6 to join in the fun. Encourage your child to select eight books from their personal collection, borrowed from a library, or purchased from Barnes & Noble. They can then complete the provided printable reading journal.
Reading journal in English:
Reading journal in Spanish:
Once your child finishes reading, return the journal to your nearby Barnes & Noble store between July 1 and Aug. 31, 2025. As a reward, your child will be able to choose a free book from the list included in the reading journal.
You can't get the free book online; you need to go into a store. The free books available are listed by grade level.
Here are just a few examples (see the full list in the reading journal). The eligible free books usually cost between $5.99 - $11.99:
Grades 1 - 2
Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet, by Julie Murphy (reg. $6.99)
The Cool Bean Makes a Splash, by Jory John (reg. $5.99)
Fox at Night, by Corey R. Tabor (reg. $5.99)
Grades 3 - 4
The 13-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths (reg. $8.99)
Big Nate: Blow the Roof Off, by Lincoln Peirce (reg. $11.99)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis (reg. $10.99)
Grades 5 - 6
Ghost, by Jason Reynolds (reg. $7.99)
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door, by Pari Thompson (reg. $8.99)
The Secret Library, by Kekla Magoon (reg. $10.99)
Participate in the Chuck E. Cheese Reading Challenge to get 10 free Play Points.
When your child reads every day for two weeks, they’ll earn 10 play points in the Chuck E. Cheese Reading Challenge. This one takes place year-round. It’s worth noting that you must make a food purchase to redeem your reading challenge worksheet for the 10 free points.
Earn $5 in Bookworm Bucks when you join the Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Camp.
Have your kids read and complete a reading log from Half Price Books, which you can find at stores starting June 1. After completing the log, they’ll earn $5 in Bookworm Bucks that work just like gift cards. This one is open to all kids 18 and under. The program starts June 1, and reading logs must be in by July 31 to earn the $5 in Bookworm Bucks.
Earn digital rewards through Scholastic’s Summer Reading Program.
From now until Sept. 12, children can join the Scholastic Summer Reading Program. They’ll get exclusive access to Scholastic Home Base, filled with books, live events, and entertaining games designed specifically for kids.
As part of this program, young readers will be motivated to keep track of their reading streaks. The more they read (and the longer their reading streak), the more digital fun they can unlock and access. This program also helps donate books to kids who don’t have access to books in rural America.
Parents can download Scholastic Home Base or get the free app for iOS or Android.
Look out for the Books-A-Million summer reading program.
We called a few locations, and the program is definitely coming back for summer 2025 (dates are still TBD). Stop by a store to get a passport, which will allow kids to track their progress. When they complete everything on the reading list, they'll get a free backpack.
Teachers, enroll your students in the Panda Express Read With Me program.
Enroll your students in the Panda Express Read With Me reading program online. Each student will have a goal of reading five books. Once each child reaches their goal, they’ll get a coupon they can redeem for freebies at Panda Express (in the past we've seen free meal coupons). This reading program is recommended for elementary school students who are reading, typically grades Pre-K/TK - 5th grade (ages 5 - 11).
Local public libraries offer reading programs and prizes.
Most public libraries offer summer reading programs for kids and even activities like story time.
We’ve seen libraries set goals for the number of minutes read and prizes for hitting the goals. We’ve also seen libraries give points for every book checked out that could be used towards winning weekly prizes. Most libraries have summer reading programs, but the rules and details will vary.
You can also ask your local library about the Collaborative Summer Library Program. Each library sets up their own incentives for this program, so check with yours. You can also set up your own incentives and read along at home.
Earn a free T-shirt with the Mensa reading program.
Mensa offers a free T-shirt when your child takes part in the Mensa Excellence in Reading Program. Your child can print the list that best meets the level of their ability or interest, regardless of age or grade level. Once printed, be sure to record the date the books were read and their rating by hand. Electronic logs won't be accepted. Once your child has read the entire list of books in their list, the reader and an adult will need to sign it and return it and the T-shirt order form to the Mensa Foundation at the address provided.
Choose a free book to keep or donate with Kellogg’s Feeding Reading Program.
This program hasn't been confirmed yet for 2025. In 2024, kids could earn a free book for every eligible Kellogg’s product purchased with the Kellogg’s Feeding Reading program. Just purchase any participating product, upload each separate receipt (up to 10), and select a book of your child’s choice to keep or donate. Last year, receipts had to be uploaded by Oct. 30, 2024, and free books had to be selected no later than Nov. 15, 2024.
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