Thanks to all the kids and families who joined us for Level Up at Your Library in summer 2025! Stay tuned for the 2026 summer reading program.
How does summer reading work?
1. Sign up starting in Spring 2026 (we’ll add the link below when registration opens)
You can sign up in person at any library location, via the book bikes, or on the online platform Beanstack.
Available for Apple iOS and Android, the Beanstack Tracker app can be downloaded to any device, including an Oak Park public school device.
Everyone everywhere is welcome to participate, so you can challenge your cousin in Kalamazoo or friend in Fargo to join in the fun.
Need help? Get instructions on how to use Beanstack.
2. Track your reading & activities
What can kids read?
Any kind of reading is good reading! No matter their age, we encourage reading aloud to children, listening to audiobooks or podcasts, reading in any language, and choosing any type of book or magazine, including comics.
- You can read whatever you like—chapter books, graphic novels, the newspaper, ebooks—or listen to audiobooks and podcasts or someone else reading aloud to you.
- You could read to a dog and it would count (but sorry, it doesn’t count if a dog reads to you).
- Your book does not have to be in English. Books do not have to come from the library. All reading is good reading.
- Borrow a Book Bundle! Each librarian-curated kit is based on a popular theme and comes in a pre-packaged clear bag.
- Browse reading lists by age and grade and more title suggestions vetted by Oak Park’s children’s librarians.
What can kids do?
Reading isn’t the only way to learn and have fun—we have a ton of activities to choose from to earn special beads, too. Make art, move your body, listen to music, explore the world, or do a little science!
3. Pick up prizes whenever you’re able to come into the library
Once you start earning prizes, stop into the library to pick them up when it’s convenient for you.
More ways to get the most out of summer reading
Why should my child participate?
Research has shown that kids who read over the summer keep their skills sharp and are better prepared for school in the fall. Recent research adds that kids who choose their own summer reading books lose even fewer skills over the summer.
That makes summer the perfect time to help kids develop their own preferences and explore new and familiar genres at their own pace. When kids love what they read, they’ll love reading—now and in the future.
Special thanks to the Kiwanis Club River Forest-Oak Park for its $500 donation to support summer reading in 2025.