This year’s Summer Reading Program invites you to Live the Fantastic and experience the power of storytelling. Behold your quest: Read any five books between June 1 and July 31, 2020. Pick stories in your preferred format, log them online, and earn a reward.  
 
From Paleolithic-era cave drawings depicting successful hunts to today’s TikTok videos shot on our smartphones, people have always used storytelling to explore ideas, engage with others, or try to make sense of our world. Every culture has its own rich, unique myths and legends, passed down in narrative, written word, or song and shared across the globe. Whether fact or fantasy, these stories shape and connect us. And this year, more than ever, connections matter.

Need some reading recommendations? Our story squad of librarians has put together lists of lore and literature, suggested tons of tales both factual and fictional, and highlighted writers, dreamers, and worldbuilders with a range of voices. You can literally choose your own adventure, revisiting a feel-good classic, picking up a new bestseller, or challenging yourself to read about different people and perspectives. Stories come in all shapes and sizes.

As you prepare for your epic Summer Reading journey, the Library offers you many ways to Live the Fantastic.

GET STARTED

Read five books, Earn a Prize!

• Sign yourself or the entire family up for this year's Summer Reading Program.
• Earn a FREE BOOK* just for signing up!
• Read any five books between June 1 and July 31, 2020. Titles can be official Suggested Reading picks for youth, teens, or adults, but you can read any five books in any format –- hardcover, audiobook, eBooks, graphic novels. Everything counts!    
• Log your five reads online using the Beanstack service or the Beanstack Tracker mobile app for iPhone or Android.
• Earn a FANTASTIC prize: *
  • Sippy cup  |  Light-up plastic cup  |  Pint glass
• Share your Summer Reading experience on social media, tagging your posts with #KCSummerReads.
• Try out the Library’s Shelf Help service and get some customized book suggestions tailored to your tastes by our experts!
• Find other tips and resources to help you make the most of this year's Summer Reading.

(*NOTE: With Library services currently limited, prizes will be available at a later date. Watch for announcements!)
 

BEGIN YOUR 2020 SUMMER READING

SIGN UP AND START LOGGING BOOKS

STORIES FOR STRESSFUL TIMES

When the going gets tough, the tough turn to reading.

It's not just an expression. There is power in reading, which keeps our connections to our world strong, relaxes our overactive minds, and resets our intentions to move past the difficult periods in our lives.

Now perhaps more than ever, we need stories to teach us, bring us together, and help us make sense of an upended reality — whether it's turning to an inspiring tale to lift the spirits of a friend; a funny fable with a sly lesson to share with a child; or an engrossing memoir or travelogue that will take you to another place, time, or life.

Library services, like those virtually across the spectrum, have been impacted by the pandemic. But we haven't ceased in our efforts to keep connecting you to the stories and many other critical resources you need. Reach out to us by phone, live chat, social media, or email if there’s any way we can help you. Your story is fantastic, and it matters to us.

kclibrary.org/contact  |  816.701.3400