Summer Reading Programs – National & Local for Western Washington

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As the end of the school year approaches, many of you are looking for ideas of ways to keep your kids engaged & keeping up with all they’ve learned throughout  the school year.  Summer reading incentive programs are a great way to keep kids motivated, stay on track with the skills they learned & foster that love of reading they’ll carry to adulthood.

I’ve teamed up with Angela from Frugal Living NW and Karrie from Happy Moneysaver to bring you a comprehensive list of summer reading programs around the Northwest.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Thrifty NW Mom – Library reading programs around the Puget Sound area (from Whatcom County – Lewis County)
• Frugal Living NW - Library reading programs for southwest Washington & western Oregon
• Happy Moneysaver – Library reading programs for central/eastern Washington and central/eastern Oregon

National Reading Programs:

Barnes & Noble:

Kids earn a FREE book when they read eight. Click the link above for more information and to download the reading journal. The site also includes downloadable activities.

Borders’ Double-Dog Dare Summer Reading Program:

Kids earn a FREE book when they read ten. Valid at Borders or Waldenbooks.

Pizza Hut’s Book It! Program:

Kids who meet the challenge to read five books over the summer will be eligible to win a summer fun prize package.

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge:

Log in minutes read to enter the Summer Reading Challenge for a chance to win a Klutz book pack. Kids can also complete weekly challenges for a chance to win prizes.

Chuck E. Cheese:

Print a reward chart and kids get 10 Check E. Cheese tokens upon completion. There are also incentive charts for just about anything you want your kids to do.

Half Price Books:

Kids 14 & under can read 15 minutes or more a day thru June & July.  If they read 600 minutes or more, they can turn in their completed reading log at Half Price Books between July 25 – August 7th to receive $5 in Back-to-School Bucks to use at the store.

Pottery Barn:

Children can read independently at home using their recommended reading list. When they complete the recommended reading list, they can receive a free book.  Also, they have story time every Tuesday from 11-11:30am & they will receive an official Book Club Passport to mark off. If they attend 5 story times, they will receive a special gift.

Puget Sound Area Library Programs

All of the libraries in Washington are using the One World, Many Stories theme this year.  However, each program is different in the incentive programs they offer.  Each library system also has a great list of summer events & activities for your children to take part in all summer at the local libraries, so make sure to check out the events & put those on your calendar.

KING COUNTY:

• King County Library System – Sign-up starts June 13th; Check with your local branch or keep checking back with the website I linked to for more details about the program, as they have not listed specific program information yet. (Encompasses almost all cities/towns in King County)
  
• Seattle Public Library – Sign up at your local branch to get reading log. If a child reads 10 books or more, receive a FREE paperback book. Bring your completed reading log with at least 10 books to get FREE admission to the Burke Museum. This free admission is available between July 1st and October 31, 2011. If your child finishes the 10 books by August 1, 2011, they can be entered into a contest for the “Breakfast of Champions” held at the Seattle Space Needle.
• Enumclaw Public Library - Program starts June 20th & activities begin June 22nd

PIERCE COUNTY:

• Pierce County Library – Program runs from June 18th – August 3rd; For ages baby – 18; If child reads (or is read to) for 10 hours, then you can return your reading log for a special prize. There are fun activities all summer long for babies, kids & teens at each of the local branches. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!
• Tacoma Public Library: Sign up will start June 4th and book reporting will be from June 18th – August 13th. Book program available for kids ages birth – 5th grade. Once a child has read 10 books, they will receive an insulated lunch bag and certificate. Plus they will get 2 FREE admissions to the Summer Reading Celebration at Pt Defiance Zoo on Saturday August 20th. The party will feature “The Not Its” – a rock band just for kids. There are additional prizes & drawings for those kids who read more than 10 books, too. There is also a special teen club for 6th – 12 grade students.
• Puyallup Public Library: Registration starts June 1st and the program runs from June 27th – August 6th. Book program available for babies up to children aged 12. Kids can earn reading tickets to enter into weekly drawings for fun prizes. If a child reads 10 hours or more, they will receive a FREE book and other “goodies”.  Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

SNOHOMISH COUNTY / ISLAND COUNTY:

• Sno-Isle Library System:  Snohomish and Island Counties; Read 10 books & child will receive a FREE book. Read more than 10 books & be entered to win additional prizes. Check out the list of free library events all summer. You can also head to your local Sno-Isle library branch & pick out FREE tickets to select Aquasox games, the minor league baseball team in Everett.

SKAGIT COUNTY:

• Mount Vernon Public Library – Starts June 6th; Check out the list of events happening all summer long for the kids summer reading program
• City of Burlington Public Library - Starts June 14th
• Anacortes City Library – June 6th – July 31st
• Upper Skagit Library District – June 6th – August 5th
• Sedro Wooley Library - No info yet; keep checking back
• La Conner Library – Program starts June 6th

WHATCOM COUNTY:

• Whatcom County Library – The program runs June 13 – August 27th; Sign up anytime during the summer & get prizes up to 1x/week for showing progress on child’s reading log. They will also forgive library fees up to $5 when you sign up  for reading program.
• Bellingham Public Library - Program runs June 13th – August 31st

KITSAP COUNTY:

• Kitsap County Library – If child reads (or are read to) for 10 hours or more, will receive a FREE book and a FREE ticket to the Kitsap County Fair and Rodeo. Sign up begins June 11th. Go to your local library or download a Reading Tracker form. Check out  the summer reading program events.

MASON, GRAYS HARBOR, THURSTON, LEWIS, and PACIFIC COUNTIES:

• Timberland Library - This library system serves all the above counties; they do not mention a specific branch-wide Summer Reading Program, so check with your individual library to see if they have their own kids summer reading program

CLALLAM COUNTY:

• North Olympic Library System – Sign up at one of the local branches & your child can read & do activities to earn prizes.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

• Jefferson County Library – They do not have any information on their website yet about Summer Reading programs, but  they do have a calendar of storytime & events for the summer

If I have missed any local library programs, please leave a comment so I can add it to our list!

Tagged as: children, northwest, resources