There are some great summer reading programs that your children can take advantage of to earn FREE books and other prizes!
Here is a roundup for programs available to families in Minnesota!
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program – This summer reading program through Barnes & Noble gives your child the ability to earn a FREE book after reading a designated number of books and keeping track of them in a reading log. Here’s how to participate:
- Read any eight books this summer and record them in your Summer Reading Journal.
- Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between July 1st and August 31st, 2025.
- Choose a FREE book from the books listed in the journal list.
Half Price Books -They are again offering the “Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp” which starts June 1st and includes reading logs and fun activities. Sign up to get everything by email or visit their page of activities.
Junie B Jones Reading Club – June is Junie B Jones month! Sign up and get updates about books, holiday e-cards, fun games and activities for kids, special events, sweepstakes, and more. Plus download their activity brochure.
Mensa for Kids Reading Program — This fun program is for kids 18 and under! Just pick a book list that matches their grade level, print it out, and start reading. As they finish each book, check it off, write down the date, and give it a little rating. Once the list is done, send it in and they’ll get a special certificate and a cool T-shirt as a reward!
Chuck E. Cheese – Earn FREE tokens every time your child reads. Just print off a Reading Rewards Calendar, read for two weeks, and get 10 free play points with any food purchase when it’s filled out and turned in. (They have other rewards for kids as well, including silly ones like a “No Nose Picking Calendar” for preschoolers!) 
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge – From May 12th to September 12th, kids can hop into the Scholastic Summer Zone on Home Base — it’s totally free and packed with fun stuff like stories, characters, games, and a whole community of young readers. They can also track their reading and even help donate books just by joining in!
Sweet Sora Reads — This fun reading program is perfect for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade! From May 12th to August 25th, they can dive into a bunch of free ebooks and a few audiobooks too — no waiting, everyone can read at the same time!
Pizza Hut Book-It Program. This existed when I was a kid and is still going strong! It’s now called Camp Book It. 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.
AND SAVING THE BEST (OR AT LEAST, MY FAVORITE!) FOR LAST…
Local Public Library – Don’t forget to check out your local libraries to find out which programs they’ll be offering this summer. My kids have participated in several Summer reading Programs through the library and it always includes FREE books & prizes. Visit the MELSA website to learn more about the summer programs in local Twin Cities area libraries!
Programs like these are a great way to encourage our children to continue reading throughout the summer months. If you know of any other programs that aren’t listed here, please feel free to leave the information in a comment below!
Originally published on: May 6, 2025.