Plant a Seed, Read!
Saturday, June 6 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
Grow your habit of reading this summer with Deerfield Public Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Program — a fun, interactive challenge for youth of all ages! When you finish the program, take home a free book and a chance at a grand prize like a KiwiCo STEAM subscription, Toniebox, LEGO set, MakerSpace experience, Instax Mini Evo camera, international snack box, and more!
How it Works:
- Youth from birth through grade 12 can participate. No library card necessary.
- Track the days you read (or are read to). Any amount of time counts!
- Pick up prizes throughout your reading journey.
- Read 5 separate days and do one of the below activities to hit a prize checkpoint. Visit the library to receive your prize!
- Finish the program by reading 20 days and doing 4 activities. You’ll receive a free book and be entered into our grand prize drawing!
- Read additional days and do more activities to receive bonus prizes!
- Visit us in Youth Services and pick up a paper reading log, or track your reading online at deerfieldlibrary.beanstack.com.
Activities:
- Attend a library program.
- Search for the Bad Seed in the Youth Department scavenger hunt!
- Read outside.
- Read a book from a genre you wouldn’t normally pick.
- Play outside in the grass, dirt, or sand. What shapes can you make?
- Go on a color walk – name the colors you see!
- Do a bit of gardening. Help a grown-up who has a garden or plant your own seeds in a pot!
- Upcycle something! Make a tote out of a t-shirt, use recycled items for an art project, or check out a book for other ideas.
- Try a new food or cook a new recipe.
- Go on a picnic at a park or in your backyard.
*Tip: You can do one activity as many times as you’d like!
Logging Your Progress
Come to the Library to pick up a paper reading log to track your reading and activities. When you reach each checkpoint, stop by the Summer Reading table in the Youth Department to have your reading progress submitted for you, or submit your own reading progress using Beanstack.
Prizes Galore!
Weekly Prize Drawings
Each week during Summer Reading, we hold a weekly prize drawing for each age group. Earn prize tickets just by visiting the Library to log your reading! Check out the display cases in the Youth Department for prize options!
Grand Prizes
Three winners per age group can choose from the following prizes:
- KiwiCo STEAM Subscription
- Toniebox or Yoto player
- LEGO Set
- MakerSpace Experience
- Instax Mini Evo Camera
- International Snack Box Subscription
Help your school win the DPL Cup this summer! The school with the highest percentage of finishers takes home the trophy!
Register and log your reading/activities at the Library or online starting June 6. Contact the Youth Department with any questions at youthservices@deerfieldlibrary.org or by phone at 847-580-8962.
Thank you to the Friends of the Deerfield Public Library for supporting our 2026 Summer Reading Program!
Where do I log my reading & activities?
You can log your own progress online at deerfieldlibrary.beanstack.com OR pick up a paper reading log at the Summer Reading table in the Youth Department, where volunteers can help you update your progress.
How do I use the paper reading log?
Read five days and do an activity to reach each checkpoint. Record the dates you read and the activities you completed in the appropriate spaces. Stop by the Summer Reading table in the Youth Department to have your reading progress submitted for you, or submit your own reading progress by logging into Beanstack.
How do I complete the program?
After reading 20 days and doing 4 activities, you’ve finished the program! Bring your log to the Summer Reading table to be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing on Beanstack and pick up your free book. Read an additional 10 days and do 2 more activities for bonus prizes.
How do I earn prizes?
Stop by the Library when you reach each checkpoint to receive that checkpoint’s prize and the bonus prizes (while supplies last).
Each week during Summer Reading we also hold a prize drawing for each age group. You can earn tickets for this drawing just by visiting the Library to log your reading! Check out the prize options in the Youth Department display cases.
Summer Reading Program Events:
Summer Reading Kickoff
DPL Youth Department
Saturday, June 6 | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Stop by the Library to sign up for our Summer Reading Program. We’ll have an airbrush tattoo artist, a photobooth, scavenger hunt, crafts, and more surprises to kick off summer 2026!
Mid-Summer Party
Jewett Park
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Whether you’ve finished the Summer Reading Program or still need to sign up, join us for an outdoor party at Jewett Park to celebrate! There will be bubble wands and playtime for everyone!
