Win Prizes: Awesome Summer Reading Programs in Atlanta

With all of the programs and incentives in metro Atlanta, reading during the summer can be fun. In fact, kids can meet goals that will earn prizes.

Learn more about summer reading programs at your local library here.

Need book ideas? See what made the cut for our favorite books. Here are some activity books we love. Also, here is a list of local bookstores to explore this summer.

Atlanta Hawks’ Check It Out Reading Challenge: Students in grades K-12 who successfully read at least five books will receive a Check it Out Reading Challenge bookmark and a free youth ticket with the purchase of at least one adult ticket to a regular season game.

Atlanta Public Libraries: This year’s summer reading theme is “All Together Now,” with programs, classes and events for all ages. Local public libraries provide online resources, and the Georgia Public Library Service is providing online access to Beanstack to all 408 public libraries. With Beanstack, track reading, participate in challenges and engage in literacy activities. Check your local library for programs in June and July.

Wrapped Up in Reading: The Carlos Museum’s annual summer reading program encourages children to maintain their reading skills, and the book list allows kids to learn about civilizations from around the world. Children who read five books from the Summer 2022 Book List and email their completed Reading Diary signed by a parent by Sept. 1 will receive prizes. Free admission will be offered to those who turn in their Reading Diary in person.

Barnes & Noble’s Summer Reading Journal: Download and print a free copy of this journal for your kids in grades 1-6. Read any eight books this summer and record them in the journal, along with your favorite part. Take it into your local Barnes & Noble between July 1-Aug. 31 for a free book (the list of options is included in the journal).

Books-A-Million: With reading ambassador Christopher Paolini, read any four books from the Summer Reading Adventure section in-stores and online, and record them in the Summer Reading Adventure Log Book to receive a water bottle.

Chuck E. Cheese: Get 10 free tokens for reading for two weeks. Be sure to take a look at the other rewards charts to keep your kids on track all summer long. Kids are limited to one chart per child, per day.

Half-Price Books: The Summer Reading Camp features fun reads and activities all summer long. Fun begins online on June 1.

Little Shop of Stories: With challenges for different age groups, this program is perfect for everyone in your family and includes prizes from local businesses. Read together for 20 days with Wee Read for ages 5 and younger, receive coupons for every 10 hours you read with Sweet Reads for ages 5-12, or read a book and post about it with Read It/Live It for ages 13-18. Adults can even join the fun with a Bingo-style challenge!

Pizza Hut Camp BOOK IT! Program: Track and reward your kids’ reading this summer and they’ll receive a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza. The website also has fun activities and book recommendations.

Online Reading Programs:

Junie B. Jones: The Kids’ Club includes a newsletter about new books, fun printables, games and special activities.

Magic Tree House Kids’ Adventure Club: Earn rewards for the pages read of “Magic Tree House” books, take quizzes, collect online passport stamps and more.

Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza: Kids can enter their summer reading minutes online until Aug. 19. Kids can build their own avatars, make new friends, earn virtual rewards and unlock donations for kids with limited or no access to books. Start and keep reading streaks by reading every day over the summer.

Tips for Reluctant Readers:

• Don’t get stuck on making your kids read for educational purposes. Incorporate activities that go along with what your children are into. If they’re visiting outer space in a book, make a fun, messy papier-mâché craft of the solar system, or watch a space movie. Camp outside and incorporate stargazing (search online for when planets are visible in the night sky).
• Start early. Read to your children when they are small to promote family time, word recognition and comprehension, and maybe, just maybe, a love of books. Whenever possible, read in such a way that the book scenes and characters come alive. Or try audio books, which usually have a dynamic reader.
• Get books on subjects they’re already into. Does your child love superheroes, princesses, dinosaurs, tea parties or a cartoon character? Use that to help you find books that he or she is more likely to want to read. Take children to the library or bookstore, letting them browse and choose what they would like to have.
• Schedule time around activities to sit down and share a book or read different books, but in the same room. Family-wide quiet time is often a rarity, but it doesn’t have to be if you put it on the calendar. Turn off all electronics and unplug for awhile.