How Does The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program Work For Kids?

I’ve come across many literacy programs for kids over the years, but few that get the accolade of both kids’ and parents’ approval as the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program. It allows kids to read whatever they like – Percy Jackson or Captain Underpants for example – and, after completing eight books of their choice, they get to pick a free book from a list of summer reads. Minimal journaling required – just a sentence or two to record their thoughts about each book – which doesn’t feel like too much of an effort. What is clever is that it encourages kids to keep their minds active over the long summer holidays without forcing them into reading something that doesn’t interest them. Normalizing reading as fun is key to this program’s success. And the process of collecting your free book in store is part of the enjoyment of the program, as it marks the completion of a ‘task’ which children feel proud of having achieved.

It’s a small anchor of normalcy. In the midst of a chaotic and unstructured summer, having one tiny project to come back to on a regular basis gives shape to our long days. It is a small victory to complete another line in our reading journals. This tiny project provides a thread of continuity throughout our vacations, our time at summer camp, and our lazy summer days. In a time when kids are often over-scheduled, or left to their own devices, these small, self-contained routines provide great comfort in a loud, chaotic world. We look forward to it.

The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program is so much fun because it makes reading a quest. For the program, kids have to read eight books of their choice. They have to write down the title of each book and then go to the bookstore where they can choose one of the Summer Reading Reward books to take home for free. The great thing about the Summer Reading Program is that it is very inclusive. It doesn’t matter if the books are short or long. It doesn’t matter if they are fiction or nonfiction. The kids really get to read what they want. And the books that they can choose from for their reward are typically popular with kids. They are books that kids already know and love. Titles such as “Junie B. Jones” and “The Bad Guys” are typical of the books that kids can choose from as a reward for completing their reading quest. This type of program is perfect for kids who read consistently because it is fun and there is no pressure to read. Taking a trip to the store to pick out a book is part of the fun. Kids feel so special because this is probably the first time in their lives that they have been rewarded for reading.