Books FTW! Summer Reading Challenges to Hook Kids on Books

For many kids, summer means trading in reading logs and library visits for screen time and "summer slide." But summer can also be a great time to catch up on all the awesome books you might have missed during the school year. To encourage kids to keep reading over the school break, we've come up with a few ways to introduce some friendly competition into the mix.

These "challenges" will not only provide you with some fantastic reads for kids of all ages, interests, and reading levels, they'll offer you tons to talk about together, from faraway cultures to scientific facts to the importance of tolerance and friendship. Whatever your family's reading style, there's something here that will help your kid feel inspired and motivated to read all the way up to the start of the school year.

Challenge 1: Read the book(s) before you see the movie.

Film adaptations of books are always popular, but most people agree: It's better to read the book first.

• Discover book-based movies, including classic read-aloud faves such as Paddington, Stuart Little, and The Wizard of Oz.

Challenge 2: Find a new favorite.

Give your cherished copies of your all-time faves a summer vacation, too, and try these similar picks.

• If you love Harry Potter, you'll love these magical fantasies.
• If you swoon over realistic fiction like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, grab the Kleenex and try these.
• if you can't get enough Katniss Everdeen, these Hunger Games-like reads feed the need.

Challenge 3: Read around the world.

"Travel" to faraway places and learn about new cultures with these diverse picks.

• Get bit by the travel bug with these books about planes, trains, and automobiles.
• Take a trip to Chile, Mexico, Cuba, and more with these books with Latinx characters.
• If you want to like reading but need to boost your skills a bit first, start with these fun games and reading resources to work on everything from letters to phonics to fluency.

Challenge 6: Crown the best of the best.

All these picks have been honored by major literary awards, but which are really the best?

• When you're choosing between The Crossover and Calpurnia Tate, it won't be easy to decide which of these books is the best work of children's literature.
• The stunning pictures take center stage here, but it's up to you to pick which of these picture books has the best art.
• All of these books are by renowned African American authors and illustrators. Can you choose your favorite?
• Challenge yourself to decide which of these is the best book for teens, a difficult task when the options include The Hate U Give, The Sun Is Also a Star, and Eleanor & Park.