Summer Reading 2025 – Penn Hills Library

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Summer Reading 2025

Summer is here! We are so excited to celebrate the warm weather together at the library with our 2025 Summer Reading Challenge!

Our Summer Reading Challenge will take place from June 14th through August 9th 2025.

We will have our annual Summer Reading Kick-Off on Saturday, June 14th from 11am to 2pm! Join us for an outdoor barbecue, tons of activities, a performance by SQUONK, and more! We will also be registering everyone for the summer reading challenge. Be sure to stop by to get your summer reading swag bags with tons of free goodies!

How to Register

Fill out a brief registration form with your contact information and submit it to a staff member.

We will have registration forms available at the library starting on June 14th at the Summer Reading Kick-Off. If you are unable to attend the Summer Reading Kick-Off, you can always fill out a form the next time you are at the library! It will only take a few moments.

How to Participate in the Reading Challenge

After you complete your registration form, you will receive a Reading Log that corresponds to your age group. The three age groups are Children (Birth to Grade 5), Teens (Grades 6 to 12), and Adults (18 years and older).

Each age group will have their own challenge and prizes. Below is a quick break down of the differences between each age group.

Children (Birth to Grade 5)

All children ages birth to grade 5 will receive a Reading Log upon registration. The Children's Reading Log will include three calendars (one for each month of the summer).

Children and/or their caregivers will track the number of books they read on the calendar logs. Simply write down the number of books completed on a given day in the corresponding box. For example, if a child reads 3 books on June 20th, then they can write the number 3 in the June 20th box. Children can log books they read themselves and books that are read to them by a caregiver.

Children will then bring their Reading Logs to the library to redeem their books read for raffle tickets to put toward grand prizes. For every day a child reads at least one book they will earn a stamp. Every stamp will earn them one raffle ticket.

Children can only redeem their books read for days that have already ended.

At the end of each month, we will draw winners for that month's grand prize. Winners will be notified via phone or email.

If you have any questions about the Children's Summer Reading Challenge, you can give us a call or ask at the front desk in the Children's Department.

Teens (Grades 6 to 12)

All teens who will be entering grades 6 to 12 in the fall will receive a Teen Reading Log upon registration. The Teen Reading Log will include two booklets: one for the first 8 weeks of summer and one for the second 8 weeks.

Teens will track the number of books they read and the number of activities they complete each week over the summer. Activities include listening to music, watching a movie, creating any form of art, or playing video games.

Teens can bring their Reading Logs to the library to redeem their progress for grand prize raffle tickets and Summer Bucks. For every day that they read a book or complete an activity, a teen will receive one grand prize raffle ticket and 5 Summer Bucks. For example, if a teen reads 3 books and completes 2 activities, they will receive 5 raffle tickets and 25 Summer Bucks.

Teens may exchange their Summer Bucks for weekly prizes throughout the summer. They can spend their Summer Bucks as they receive them, or save them up for a larger prize.

Teens can only redeem their books read and activities completed for weeks that have already passed.

Grand prize winners will be drawn at the end of the summer the week of August 18th. Winners will be notified via phone or email.

If you have any questions about the Teen Summer Reading Challenge, you can give us a call or ask at the front desk.

Adults (18 years and older)

All adults will receive an Adult Reading Log upon registration.

Adults will track the number of books they read each week over the summer. Every book read will equal one grand prize raffle ticket. Adults may also count any movies watched or magazines read if they wish.

Adults can bring their Reading Logs to the library to redeem their books/magazines read (or movies watched) for grand prize raffle tickets. Adults can only redeem their books read for weeks that have already passed.

You can use your grand prize raffle tickets toward any of the following grand prizes!

Adult Grand Prize #1 - Books and Beans (Starbucks)

  • $50 Starbucks gift card
  • Tumbler
  • Bag of Starbucks coffee
  • The Plated Prisoner Series by Raven Kennedy

Adult Grand Prize #2 - Books and Beans (Dunkin')

  • $15 Mystery Lovers Bookshop gift card
  • $50 Dunkin' gift card
  • Tumbler
  • Bag of Dunkin' coffee

Adult Grand Prize #3 - Color Your World (Watercolor)

  • $50 Michaels gift card
  • Watercolor set and book
  • 2 tickets to Carnegie Museum of Art

Adult Grand Prize #4 - Color Your World (Lego)

  • The Great Wave Lego set
  • $50 Michaels gift card

Adult Grand Prize #5 - Ghosts N'at

  • 2 tickets to Haunted Pittsburgh
  • Haunted Pittsburgh by Timothy Murray, Michelle Smith
  • Ghost mug
  • Burnt orange checkered throw blanket

Adult Grand Prize #6 - Yinz Love Pittsburgh

  • $100 Primanti's gift card
  • 2 adult and 2 children's tickets to the Warhol Museum
  • The Warhol Painting book

Grand prize winners will be drawn at the end of the summer the week of August 18th. Winners will be notified via phone or email.

If you have any questions about the Adult Summer Reading Challenge, you can give us a call or ask at the front desk.