Free Books, Free Prizes & Free Fun: Elkhart Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge Is Back for 2026
Written by Zach Miller on May 20, 2026
Let’s be honest — keeping kids engaged (and off screens) all summer long is one of the great unsolved mysteries of parenting. Between “I’m bored” at 9 a.m. and the back-to-school panic in August, summer can feel like a sprint with no finish line.
Good news: Elkhart Public Library just handed you a powerful tool — and it comes with prizes.
What Is the Summer Reading Challenge?
The Elkhart Public Library Summer Reading Challenge is the library’s biggest annual program, and this year it’s better than ever. The program is open to all ages — adults can read and earn prize entries right alongside their kids. So yes, mama, you get to play too.
The challenge kicks off May 22, and you can track your reading through the Beanstack app or by using a paper game board at any library location — book return boxes included.
Why It Actually Matters (Beyond the Prizes)
We know you’re busy. Between work, school pickups, practices, and everything else life throws at you, “summer reading program” might feel like one more thing on your list.
But here’s the thing: just three weeks of reading for fun during the summer helps fight off the dreaded summer slide. Last year, 60 percent of participants logged six weeks of summer reading and were ready to hit the ground running when school started back up in August.
And modeling reading for your kids? Parents who read alongside their children set a powerful example for younger readers. That’s not just feel-good advice — it works.
What Can You Win?
🦕 The Grand Prize (Kids)
This one is a big deal. One grand prize winner will receive an Indiana Dinosaur Museum experience package for up to four people — including museum tours, a visit to South Bend Chocolate Company, restaurant meals, and a hotel stay.
Your kids will talk about it for years. The last day to enter your reviews for grand prize eligibility is Monday, July 20.
🎁 More Prizes Along the Way
Read for 21 days — they don’t have to be consecutive — and kids earn a ticket for prize drawings that include things like:
- Barnes & Noble $100 gift card
- Elkhart County Fair 4H admission and wristbands
- LEGO Robot Roller Coaster
- Bean bag chair
- Ball pit and crawl tunnel
- National Geographic Science and Circuits kits
- A dollhouse
Kids can also earn additional prize entries at Days 42 and 60 — the more they read, the more chances they have to win.
📚 Free Books for Kids
After 21 and 42 days of reading, kids get to pick from more than 30 titles to keep for their own shelves. There’s something special about a child owning their own book — and choosing it themselves.
What’s in It for Mom?
Adults 18 and older can participate on Beanstack or with a paper game board, just like the kids. Grown-ups earn an entry for a $100 gift card prize drawing at Day 21, with additional entries at Days 42 and 60.
A $100 gift card just for reading? We’ll take it.
Surprise Rewards All Summer Long
Rewards are built into the challenge throughout the summer — you unlock them in the Beanstack app when you hit certain reading milestones. This year’s reward partners include some Michiana favorites:
Freshieez, Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A, Vanilla Bean Creamery, Shirley’s Popcorn, Biggby Coffee, Mini Delights Bake Shoppe, Wendy’s, Bird in the Hand, Secret Door Games, the City of Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department, Elkhart County Parks, Wild+Wander Play Studio, and Tropicana Ice Cream Shop.
That’s a summer full of local treats and adventures, baked right into the reading challenge.
How to Get Started
Here’s your three-step summer plan:
- Download the Beanstack app or grab a paper game board at your local library branch (or print one at MyEPL.org)
- Start reading May 22 — anything your kids love counts
- Log your reading days and watch the rewards roll in
Mark Your Calendar: The Summer Reading Party
Prize winners will be announced at the Summer Reading Challenge Party on Thursday, July 23, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Lifeline Hub and Premier Arts campus in Elkhart. Winners don’t need to be present — they’ll be contacted the following day with prize-claiming instructions.
One More Thing
This program is completely free for participants, thanks to sponsors including Ranger Distribution Inc. — who are presenting the Summer Reading Challenge for the fifth consecutive year — along with Froggy 102.7 and a great lineup of community partners.
Free. Prizes. Books. Local rewards. And a reason to put the tablet down for a few minutes each day.
Sounds like the best summer plan in Michiana to us. 🐸
For full details, rules, and to sign up, visit MyEPL.org. Para la versión en español, visita MyEPL.org/verano.
Source: Elkhart Public Library, Summer Reading Challenge 2026 official program information.
