Summer Reading

Read, Score, and Roar this Summer!

All Ages Summer Reading Challenge 2026

May 21–Aug 15, 2026

Come one, come all as we band together for another summer packed with reading challenges and free events, this year inspired by The World Cup™ and...dinosaurs! Read 10 books or log 30 hours between May 21-Aug 15 (lee 10 libros o 30 horas entre el May 21–Aug 15.)

Our 2026 theme, “Read, Score, Roar,” combines three powerful concepts–reading, soccer, and dinosaurs–into a jam-packed summer of adventure, play, and empowerment. As a bonus, there's an awesome lineup of prizes waiting for you in the six-yard box*! Finish by August 15th or your reading challenge could...fossilize! We hope to see you kicking and stomping around the library all summer long!

*The common name for the goal area on a soccer field—a.k.a. the Kids, Teens, and Book Help desks.

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR SUMMER READING

STEP 1 / PASO 1

Download Beanstack to your device. Bájate la aplicación ‘Beanstack’. GET HELP: How to log your reading on the app.

STEP 2 / PASO 2

Sign in/create account, then start reading on May 22. Inscríbete/abre tu cuenta; empieza a leer el 22 de mayo.

STEP 3 / PASO 3

Pick a reading challenge that's right for you. Escoge el desafío de lectura apropiado para tu nivel de lectura.

STEP 4 / PASO 4

Log reading, earn badges, attend events, win prizes! Registra tu lectura, gana tus insignias, asiste a eventos, ¡gana premios!

FINISH OUR READING CHALLENGE & WIN THESE PRIZES!

KIDS (0–Grade 5)

  • 1 Dino plush keychains (ages 4 and up)
  • 1 book of your choice
  • 2 books from the LPL Friends & Foundation (how to shop)
  • 1 game of bowling from Royal Crest Lanes
  • 1 sundae from Culver’s
  • 1 honey stick or tea sample plus 10% off from Brit’s
  • 1 Dave the Cat sticker from Wonder Fair
  • 1 kids’ meal from IHOP
  • 1 kids’ meal from Raising Cane’s
  • Extra credit: 3 books or 10 hours = free ice cream at any Lawrence McDonald's!

TEENS (Grades 6–12)

  • 1 Dino plush keychain
  • 1 book of your choice
  • 1 summer reading t-shirt
  • 2 books from the LPL Friends & Foundation (how to shop)
  • 1 game of bowling from Royal Crest Lanes
  • 1 sundae from Culver’s
  • 1 honey stick or tea sample plus 10% off from Brit’s
  • 1 Dave the Cat sticker from Wonder Fair
  • 1 yoga class from Bluestem Yoga
  • 1 milkshake from IHOP
  • 2 entries into the Teen Grand Prize raffle for one of these prizes:
    • Wonder Fair Art Prize Pack
    • Skateboard from River Rat
    • $100 Gift Card to The Raven Bookstore
    • 1 Nintendo Switch Lite and Game Nut gift card

ADULTS (18+)

  • 1 tote bag
  • 2 books from the LPL Friends & Foundation (how to shop)
  • 1 game of bowling from Royal Crest Lanes
  • 1 honey stick or tea sample plus 10% off from Brit’s
  • 1 Dave the Cat sticker from Wonder Fair
  • 1 milkshake from IHOP
  • 1 small drink from Uplift Coffee
  • 1 yoga class from Bluestem Yoga
  • 10% off at Raven
  • 10% off from Cottin’s
  • 1 entry into our Adult Grand Prize raffle for a $100, $50, and $25 gift card to The Raven Bookstore.

FREE SUMMER EVENTS

ADULT EVENTS

KID & TEEN EVENTS

Kid & Teen Events

In Conversation with Ibram X. Kendi

Sep 14th | 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Join us for a conversation with award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi as we delve into the themes of his latest book Chain of Ideas.

Digital Research Skills Webinar

Sep 15th | 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Online Event
We’ll explore how to find credible information online, evaluate sources effectively, and think critically about what AI tools tell you.

Teen Tech Tutorial: Podcasting

Sep 15th | 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Wonder how to make your own podcast? Join local experts to learn about making a podcast and get a tour of our podcasting studio.

Hobbit Watercolor Along

Sep 16th | 2:30pm - 4:00pm
We’re celebrating Frodo & Bilbo’s birthday with a chill hobbit-worthy activity: watercolors.

NEED A GREAT BOOK?

STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS

STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS

Get Moving with Kanopy!

Sure, Kanopy has great movies. Did you know you can also find a variety of exercise videos on Kanopy? Here's a selection to get you moving!

2026 BSG: Read a Novel about a Fictional Celebrity

Pick up a book featuring a made-up celebrity—whether they’re a movie star, musician, athlete, or famous for being famous!

LibraryReads and Read Alikes for September 2026

LibraryReads is the monthly nationwide library staff picks list for adult fiction and non-fiction.

TBR Radar September 2026

The Book Squad brings you the most anticipated reads publishing in September 2026!

STAFF PICKS FOR KIDS & TEENS

Kid & Teen Events

What's So Funny?

Comical voices from across our Young Adult collections, great for anyone in need of a laugh. The perfect list for fans of comedy!

Bonfires, S'mores, and More Outdoors

Explore the outdoors with your kiddo! This list explores everything from survival camping to having an adventure in your own back yard!

100 Classic and Popular Picture Books

Explore the world of classic and popular picture books with this mega list, created as part of our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.

100 Books About Music

This list contains everything from classic story time rhymes, to books about musicians, to how rap music came to be.

SUMMER READING IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Students tend to lose critical skills learned during the school year when brains are less engaged over summer break, making it much harder to jump back into school in the fall if a student falls behind. We've made it part of our mission to fill in that gap. With dedicated youth professionals and librarians, we ensure every kid and teen in town has a place to learn, connect, create, and grow their brains  over summer break. Read more here.

La lectura durante el verano ayuda a que nuestrxs niñxs no pierdan habilidades que han ido adquiriendo durante el año escolar. Permite que sus cerebros continúen activos, facilitando el reingreso en la escuela en el otoño y evitando que inicien el nuevo curso con retraso. Las familias que disponen de solvencia económica a menudo pagan para que sus hijxs participen en programas de verano, pero esto no le es posible a familias con menos recursos, cuyxs hijxs están en mayor riesgo de perder las habilidades que han ido ganando durante el año escolar. Estamos comprometidxs a proveer medios para remediar las consecuencias de esta inequidad de recursos. Gracias a la ayuda de nuestrxs bibliotecarixs y profesionales, trabajamos para asegurar que todxs lxs niñxs y adolescentes de Lawrence tengan acceso a un espacio para aprender, conectar con otrxs, crear y cultivar la mente durante los próximos tres meses. Bájese AQUI el documento “Lectura de Verano. Resumen en números” de summerlearning.org.