Summer Reading
KCPL’s summer reading experience includes a reading challenge for all ages – babies through adults – as well as a full line up of programs and events. Everyone who joins us will have opportunities to celebrate reading, win prizes, and create connections.
We welcome all levels of participation! Register for the summer reading challenge and choose from a variety of activities to earn badges. Join us for a single event or come to programs every week to try new things, get creative, learn amazing information, and more. Our goal is for your summer reading experience to be filled with activities you enjoy!
Summer Reading 2026
June 1 - August 31
Register for the 2026 Unearth A Story summer reading challenge and join us for special events all summer! You can register through Beanstack or in person at any KCPL location. If you participated in a summer reading challenge last year, you already have a Beanstack account and do not need to create a new account. If you have difficulty signing in, please let us know. If you would prefer to track your progress on a paper reading log, please visit any KCPL location.
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE Q&A
Who can participate?
All ages are welcome to join!
Why should I participate?
To have fun, earn prizes, and help reach the community goal of putting new books on the shelves at Kent County Middle School!
How do I participate?
Track your reading minutes and complete challenge activities to earn badges.
Are there prizes?
Yes! There are four different types of prizes you can win this summer:
Mystery prize - Earned by completing a reading, activity, or elevation badge.
Raffle tickets - Earned by completing any type of badge. Choose which raffle drawings you want to enter for a chance to win.
Challenge completion medal - Earned by completing three reading and/or activity badges.
Top reader - Earned by logging the most reading minutes in your age group. Age groups are 0-5, 6-12, 13-17, and 18+
While you’re winning prizes for yourself, you’re also helping win a prize for the community! If all the summer readers work together to read and log 500,000 minutes, Kent County Public Library will buy and donate new books to the media center at the Kent County Middle School. If we reach the stretch goals of 750,000 and 1,000,000, even more books will be donated!
How do I complete the reading challenge?
Earn any combination of 3 reading and/or activity badges and you will receive a Challenge Completion Medal! After completing the challenge, keep logging reading minutes to unlock Elevation Badges, earn extra prizes, and help us reach the community goal.
SUMMER READING EVENTS
Summer programs are scheduled June 3 - August 21 and will take place at all KCPL locations, as well as several off-site locations throughout Kent County, including the Garfield Center for the Arts, The Mainstay, Flagship Cinemas and Kent County High School! You can find all the details in our online calendar.
The 2026 Kent County Public Library Summer Reading Program is made possible in part by a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, the Kent County Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF), and our kind sponsors:
