We're excited to bring you our 5th Annual KC Summer Reading Programs Guide!  We've compiled some great resources for you to start thinking about summer reading programs.  Summer reading programs in Kansas City, Johnson County, and beyond offer a great way to keep kids learning and reading throughout the summer as well as provide great incentives & prizes for them. Happy reading!

Johnson County Public Library Summer Reading Program - May 19 - August 2, 2014.  Enjoy summer reading for all ages! Experience summer reading online while you earn virtual badges, record your reading time, track your books, win books from your favorite authors and more.

Olathe Public Library Summer Reading Program - May 21 - August 13, 2014.  This summer's reading program theme is Fizz Boom Read! Keep track of the books you read (or books read to you) this summer and earn a FREE BOOK at the end of the summer! Join us for FREE live shows, movies, crafts, and more. We will once again be starting off the summer with our Summer Reading Kick-Off for the whole family. 

Summer starts off with a bang at our Summer Reading Kick-Off on Tuesday, May 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Frontier Park (Black Bob Rd. & Indian Creek Pkwy.) Pick up a summer reading folder and enjoy a variety of games and other fun activities. Lenexa Sertoma Club will be selling pizza, hot dogs, and soft drinks, as well as games and prizes, to raise funds for a hearing loop to be installed for the hearing impaired in the Indian Creek Branch meeting room. Olathe Noon Optimists will provide free water. Everyone is invited to join in the fun. Reading folders will also be available at both libraries.

Frontier Park is located at Black Bob Road and Indian Creek Parkway, just southwest of the Indian Creek Branch Library. In case of rain Kick-Off will be canceled.

Scholastic Summer Challenge - May 5, - September 5, 2014. Kids are invited to create an account on the Scholastic website and log their reading times into their system.  Prizes will be rewarded throughout the course of the program and a chance to beat the world record. 

Half-Price Books 'Feed Your Brain' Summer Reading Program - June 1 - July 31, 2013. To help keep appetites up for reading, Half Price Books is hosting the FEED YOUR BRAIN® Summer Reading Program. Kids ages 14 and under can earn $5 HPB Bookworm Bucks as a reward for reading over the summer. Get started and learn more about Top Reader Prizes. Plan to attend the Feed Your Brain kick off on June 8 at 2 pm for the Biggest Storytime of the Summer at Kansas City metro local Half Price Books locations.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Library Summer Reading Program - June 1 - July 31, 2014. This summer's theme is everything science! All 5 Kansas City Kansas Public library branches will host events all summer long that include games, science experiments, storytimes, crafts and more. All ages birth through adult are encouraged to register for this program and are eligible to earn prizes by reading or having someone read to them. Prizes include free books, school supplies, activity coupons, MP3 players, and drawings for larger prizes. To learn more or register for the KCKPL Summer Reading Program, visit www.kckpl.org. 

Kansas City Public Library Summer Reading Fun - une and July - More info coming soon!  

Barnes & Noble's Imagination's Destination Summer Reading Program - Read and record any 8 books on a reading log and earn a FREE book! Program runs May 20, 2014 through September 2, 2014.  Barnes and Noble bookstores are located in Johnson County at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Town Center Plaza in Leawood, and in Kansas City, Missouri at the Country Club Plaza.  Other locations are at Independence Commons in Independence, Missouri and Zona Rosa in Kansas City, Missouri.

American Girl Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Program - Celebrate summer reading with American Girl! At their bookmark making craft event, your girl will decorate her own bookmark and summer reading log to keep track of all the great books she’ll read over break. Includes a doll-sized poster to take home. Contact American Girl store at Oak Park mall for more info.

Mid-Continent Public Library - May 19 - July 31, 2014.  Kids ages 0 and up may download a reading log online or pick one up at any MCPL branch.  Children ages 0-6 are invited to listen to 24 books in order to earn a free book.  Kids ages 6-11 may log their reading minutes and earn a free paperback for every 360 minutes read. Every Listener and Reader that completes three summer reading logs will be entered into their branch's drawing for a LeapPad Ultra or Kindle Fire HD. Completed reading logs may be returned at any MCPL location between the program dates.  

Books-A-Million Summer Reading Program - Each year BAM is hosts a Summer Reading Program.  Details for the 2014 program have yet to be released, but will be available soon. Books-A-Million is located at the Legends Shopping in Kansas City, Kansas.

Shawnee Books and Toys Give Me Summer, Give Me Books! Reading Challenge - May 24 - August 4, 2014. Kids in grades K-8 who read 6 books this summer and complete an entry form, will receive a goody bag and a 25% off coupon for their entire purchase! Don't miss their fun FREE storytime events every Friday. More details on our calendar.

Chuck E. Cheese's Reading Rewards - Children can track their reading progress by printing the Reading Rewards Chart online.  Track 2 weeks of reading each day and then bring in the completed log to participating locations.  Participants will be rewarded with 10 free tokens.   Valid at all Chuck E. Cheese locations in Olathe and Overland Park, Kansas and Independence and Kansas City, Missouri.

Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge - now - July 17, 2014. Keep your kids reading all summer long with recommended lists of titles. Join in for weekly storytime on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. throughout the summer. Kids who read 8 of the listed books by July 31, 2014 will receive a free book.  Locations are in Johnson County at Town Center Plaza in Leawood Kansas and in Missouri at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.

Sylvan's Book Adventure Program - All summer long. Kids in grades K-8 can register on Sylvan’s website.  Then after they read a book, they can take online quizzes and earn prizes for their success.

Book It 2014 Spark Your Greatness Summer Reading Program - June 1 - August 15, 2014. Pizza Hut offers various reading challenges throughout the summer.  The challenges are for kids in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade who read five or more books.