Pizza Hut brings back summer reading program with free pizza rewards

WASHINGTON — A familiar summer reading incentive is making a big comeback, and it comes with a side of pizza.

The Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program announced this week that its “Summer of Stories” program will return for 2026, giving kids the chance to earn free pizza by hitting various reading goals during the summer months.

Enrollment opens May 1, with the program running from June 1 through Aug. 31. It is open to students in pre-K through sixth grade, and parents can sign their children up through the BOOK IT! mobile app.

The program allows kids to track their reading and earn digital reading award certificates, which can be redeemed for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut. Students can earn one certificate per month, and the reward must be redeemed by the child who completed the reading goal.

The initiative is free to participate and aims to keep kids engaged in reading while school is out for the summer.

Originally launched in 1984, BOOK IT! became a staple in classrooms across the United States. The idea was initially developed by Pizza Hut executives Arthur Gunther and Bud Gates, inspired in part by national calls for stronger literacy efforts.

The program quickly gained traction, with millions of students participating in its early years. Today, BOOK IT! continues to operate both as a school-year program for teachers and a summer program for families.

During the school year, teachers can enroll classrooms and track students’ reading progress monthly, with rewards distributed from October through March. The summer version shifts that responsibility to parents, who track reading habits directly through the app.

To earn a reward during the summer program, children must read for at least 20 minutes a day for 15 days in a given month. Once the goal is met, a digital code for a free pizza becomes available in the app.