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

Tutoring Club, part of a series

Boost reading and math skills with a KU tutor! Register now for an in-person session.

Crafting & Sharing Club, part of a series

Do you enjoy crafting AND building community? Come join us in a in a crafting and sharing club!

Just Cook: Making the Most of Holiday Leftovers

Nov 10th | 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Learn some creative and tasty ways to use your holiday leftovers! JustFood will guide us in a hands-on demonstration.

The Hive Indigenous Collective: Indigenous Harvest Gathering

Nov 18th | 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Join the Hive: Indigenous Collective for a family friendly gathering serving indigenous food, stories, history, and community.

NEED A GREAT BOOK?

STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS

STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS

Cooking and Eating Sustainably: Eat What You Have!

Books to inspire you to get creative with kitchen scraps, leftovers, and things that grow in abundance right outside your door!

Bullying Conversation Starter Books

Bullying is an unfortunate reality for many kids. Here is a list of books for kids to start the conversation on this tough topic.

Camp Cryptid Reads

From romance to mystery to horror, the "unknown" is thrilling! Enjoy these novels about cryptids, creatures, and conspiracies!

TBR Radar October 2026

Your LPL librarians bring you some of the most anticipated reads publishing in October 2026!

STAFF PICKS FOR KIDS & TEENS

Kid & Teen Events

Bullying Conversation Starter Books

Bullying is an unfortunate reality for many kids. Here is a list of books for kids to start the conversation on this tough topic.

Have You Read the Book?

If you're ever curious if the book is better than the movie, check this of middle grade titles out!

It's Fall Y'all!

It's the best time of the year! This list has all the fall you could want from fiction to nonfiction and reading levels spanning 0-11.

YA Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration from Sep 15- Oct 15. These YA novels feature Hispanic protagonists and a variety of genres.

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.