Summer is a great time to stay indoors and get lost in a book. Below are a number of FREE programs that - encourage children to continue to read during the summer:
Avenue 941 - Reading programs available in 2 locations. Eligibility requirements: The student must be struggling academically | The student must either attend a public title 1 school in Manatee County or be eligible for free/reduced lunch | The student must be a foster child or come from a single parent household without access to tutoring, mentoring or discipleship.
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program - Children can earn a FREE book for each eight books that they read. Just record them in your summer reading journal, bring your completed journal to a Barnes and Noble store between July 1 and August 31 and pick your free book from the list! For kids in grades 1 through 6.
Books A Million Summer Reading Program - Kids choose any four books to read from the Summer Reading Adventure section, either in-store or online. Write about the books you've read in your Summer Reading Adventure Logbook. Show your completed Logbook to a store associate to receive your free water bottle.
Book It Summer Reading - A free reading incentive program for children ages 4 to 12. Set goals, track reading June - August and get FREE pizza!
Chuck E Cheese - Print out a variety of "reward" calendars (examples include Good Eater Calendar, Good Listener Calendar, Reading Awards Calendar, Potty Perfect Calendar and more!). When kids complete their goal bring in their completed calendar for free tokens! 
Dive Into Reading Programs - A June summer reading program that aims to improve children’s reading levels by combating “Summer Slide,” and continue his/her education over the summer break for 4 weeks. Students get paired with a mentor and spend time reading together.
Manatee County Library All Together Now Reading Program - Our Summer Reading Program launches June 1 for Manatee County children and teens ages 0-17! The theme this year is All Together Now! We will "travel the world together" as part of this theme - all of our Manatee Library locations will represent a different region in the world! Reading prizes, free events and a lot of fun! Also, be sure to check out all Manatee County Library branches CALENDAR for all the exciting and educational programming and events they will be holding all summer.
Reading with the Rays - A summer program that encourages children to read. Get FREE Tampa Bay Rays tickets just for reading!
Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Challenge - From May 4 through September 7th, kids can visit the summer zone in Scholastic Home Base, a completely free digital destination which offers stories, characters, games, and a community of readers.
Sync- Free Audiobooks for Teens – Teens can get free audiobooks every week.
"THIS BOOK IS COOL!” (TBIC!) Summer Reading Program - The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (SCGLR) is excited to welcome back our 10-week THIS BOOK IS COOL! (TBIC!) summer reading program. This FREE summer adventure is designed to engage the minds of incoming students in grades PreK – 3 and encourage their continued learning through reading.
To qualify for THIS BOOK IS COOL!, your child must be:
- A resident of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Manatee, or Sarasota counties
- Entering grades PreK to 3rd grade in the fall of 2023
- Enrolled at a Title I school OR eligible for free/reduced lunch
