Kids can get free pizza this summer by reading

Parents who want to encourage their children to do more reading this summer can entice their little ones with free pizza. 

Pizza Hut’s Camp BOOK IT! is back for its 40th year, giving parents and children an incentive to read more books and magazines in June, July and August. 

"Our work is more than just a corporate mission, it’s a personal challenge to turn have to read into want to read. We know our time-tested incentives work," Pizza Hut says on its website. "Now we are fostering the second generation of program alumni. We know that reading makes a difference."

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In a 2023 Gallup survey, 88% of parents said their child was on grade level in reading. But in a federal survey, school officials said half of all U.S. students started last school year behind grade level in at least one subject.

How it works

A Pizza Hut employee prepares a pizza (Photo by Carlos Becerra/Getty Images)

Here’s how the Camp BOOK IT! program works, according to Pizza Hut: 

• Enroll your child in the program online. It’s free. 
• Track your child’s progress as they read books, magazines, eBooks and "anything fun." Enter the data in the Camp BOOK IT! digital dashboard. 
• As your child meets their goal, move the tracker forward to get a certificate for a personal pan pizza via email. 
• Use the serial code on your child’s certificate to redeem. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.