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!
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
Adult Events
Dewey Decimal and the Crystal Scroll, part of a series
Books & Bagels
KID & TEEN EVENTS
Kid & Teen Events
Dewey Decimal and the Crystal Scroll, part of a series
Paper Plains Zine Club, part of a series
Yoga at the Library, part of a series
Crafting & Sharing Club, part of a series
NEED A GREAT BOOK?
STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS
STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS
Summertime Creativity
Nature Book Club Books Discussed Summer 2026 (June 9)
Books to Read if You Enjoyed the Film Backrooms (2026)
Library Reads and Read Alikes for June 2026
STAFF PICKS FOR KIDS & TEENS
Kid & Teen Events
Read, Score, Roar! 2026 Summer Reading Picks from Teen Staff
Dinosaurs, Community, and Soccer, Oh My!
Grow Your Know-How!
NEATure (Nature is Neat!)
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.
