Guides: Children's Library: Summer Reading Program

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Summer Reading FAQ

Check here for answers to common Summer Reading questions we've received about how to participate, log your reading, prizes, etc.

Question: Can my kids do the Summer Reading Program more than once?
Answer: Summer Reading is a one-time opportunity, so once your children have completed it, they are done. We love that your kiddos are such amazing readers, though!

Question: Can I pick up my prizes from any library location?
Answer: You can redeem your reading log for prizes at any HBPL location! At branch libraries, visit the public service desk, and at Central Library, visit the Children's Desk or Research & Information (Reference) Desk. All prizes must be picked by Saturday, August 6. All prizes are available while supplies last.

Question: How do I complete the Summer Reading Program?
Answer: This year, parents/kids can log their reading by going online to hbpl.beanstack.com, through the Beanstack app, OR by using a paper reading log. The goal for teens and kids ages 0-17 is to read 20 minutes per day (840 minutes total). Adults are challenged to read 5 books.

Question: I have a toddler/preschool/baby. Can I just log the number of books I read with them?
Answer: We love that you are reading with your little ones! We don't offer reading logs that count the number of books, though. Trying to convert picture books into minutes read? Estimate about 10 minutes per picture book. So, if you read two picture books with your little ones, you've probably spent about 20 minutes reading, talking about the artwork on each page, and answering any questions that came up from your little learner!

Question: Do I need to create an account in Beanstack again even though I have participated in Summer Reading before?
Answer: No, you do not! If you have participated in any other HBPL reading programs, you probably already have an account. Before creating a new account, try logging in first. If you are having problems logging into your account, call the Children's Department at 714-375-5107 and we can assist you with a password reset.

Still have unanswered questions?

Contact the library by email l ibrary@hbpl.org or by calling 714-375-5107.

Thank you for Participating

2023 SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Summer Reading 2023 has ended!

Thank you for joining us for the 2023 Summer @ Your Library Summer Reading Program! Prizes may be picked up from any HBPL location through Sunday, August 7, while supplies last.

Join us next year for Summer Reading 2024, coming June 22 through August 10, 2024!

Special Summer Events

Summer Reading Challenge

June 24 - August 13, 2023.
Register in-person at any HBPL branch or online at www.hbpl.beanstack.com.

This summer, HBPL challenges people of all ages to read more! Register for the challenge to receive a reusable Summer Reading book tote, then track your reading between June 24 and August 13 using our online tracker or a paper reading log (available at any HBPL location). Complete the challenge by August 13 to receive a coupon for a free book from the FOTL Used Book Sale!

All prizes available while supplies last.

Summer Reading Kickoff Carnival

Saturday, June 24, 10am - 2pm in front of the Central Library.

Join the Friends of the Children's Library for its annual all-ages summer reading fundraiser! Proceeds from this event go to support youth summer programs at the Huntington Beach Public Library. There will be games, crafts, activities, and food for purchase, as well as two fun ticketed performances: Comedian/Juggler Michael Rayner at 11am; and a Doodlebugs Animal Adventures show at 1pm! Carnival tickets are $5 for 11 or $.50 each; performance tickets are $5 per person. While you're here for the fun, be sure to register for the 2023 Summer Reading Challenge!

Kids Summer Reading Challenge

June 24 - August 13 at all HBPL locations! Register in person at any branch, or online at hbpl.beanstack.com.

HBPL challenges kids ages 0-12 to spend 20 minutes per day reading (or being read to) this summer! Complete the challenge by reading 1,000 minutes before August 13, and earn a free book from the FOTL Used Book Sale, plus other fun prizes along the way. To get started, register online or in-person at any HBPL library location. When you register, you'll get a Summer Reading reusable book tote - the perfect bag to carry all of your fun summer books!
All prizes available while supplies last.

Bookapalooza! Parties

Various dates at different locations - click icon to view all upcoming Bookapalooza! dates in the calendar!

Join us during Summer Reading Fridays for fun-filled activities hosted by Friends of the Children's Library (FOTCL)! Each week, there will be a different activity to go along the the Summer Reading theme of "Read Beyond the Beaten Path." We'll be diving deep into oceans, learning about local animals, meeting some creepy crawly critters, exploring our local parks, laughing along with a Goofy camping trip, and growing something green. For the full schedule of events, click on the icon!

Michael Rayner: Comedy Juggling Show

Saturday, June 24, 11am in the Central Library Tabby Theater. Tickets $5 - click image for ticket sale details.

The Friends of the Children's Library are proud to present juggler and comedian Michael Rayner! Michael’s show has been described as “preposterous brilliance” and “whacky jugglement,” a combo of hilarious tricks and stunts with uproarious stand-up!

Tickets ($5) will be available for purchase during Tuesday & Thursday storytimes at the Central Library, 10am - 12pm, or by contacting FOTCL via email at info@fotcl.org!

Doodlebugs Animal Adventures Show

Saturday, June 24, 1pm in the Central Library Tabby Theater. Tickets $5 - click image for ticket sale details.

In this fun and educational LIVE animal program, participants will meet and explore a variety of fascinating animals from all over the world! Laugh and learn as we explore the vital roles these animals play in their ecosystems as well as how we ALL can be responsible stewards of our beautiful planet.

Tickets ($5) will be available for purchase during Tuesday & Thursday storytimes at the Central Library, 10am - 12pm, or by contacting FOTCL via email at info@fotcl.org!

Kids Summer Reading Challenge

June 24 - August 13 at all HBPL locations! Register in person at any branch, or online at hbpl.beanstack.com.

Wise Owl Tween Book Club

Thursday, June 30, 4pm in the Central Library Talbert Room. Registration has closed.
Thursday, July 28, 4pm in the Central Library Talbert Room. Register HERE!
Best suited for ages 8 to 12. The first 15 registrants will receive free copies of the book! All registrants will be able to attend the meeting & meet the authors in a virtual visit!

July's book selection is Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, by Kwame Mbalia, and Kwame will be joining us virtually for the meeting to talk about his book!

Teen Summer Reading Challenge

June 24 - August 13 at all HBPL locations! Register in person at any branch, or online at hbpl.beanstack.com.

HBPL challenges teens ages 13-17 to spend 20 minutes per day reading this summer! Complete the challenge by reading 1,000 minutes before August 13, and earn aa ticket to an after-hours party in the library with karaoke, games, crafts, pizza, raffle prizes, and more!. To get started, register online or in-person at any HBPL library location. When you register, you'll get a Summer Reading reusable book tote as a bonus - the perfect bag to carry all of your summer reads! All prizes available while supplies last.

Teen Money Management Classes with Youth Investors Corp.

Mondays & Wednesdays at 1pm in the B Room at Central Library. For teens ages 14 - 18.

Want to better manage your money as a teen? Curious about the buzz around investing? Want to make more money as an adult? Join this engaging class that will cover everything from basic investment strategies to macroeconomics with a fun stock-market simulation game! Youth Investors Corp. is partnering with HBPL for a 5 week twice-weekly class to share their gamified approach to financial literacy and investing. Participants will even engage in county-wide competitions with the chance of winning a grand prize grant of $500!

Adult Summer Reading Challenge

June 24 - August 13 at all HBPL locations! Register in person at any branch, or online at hbpl.beanstack.com.

HBPL challenges adults ages 18+ to spend time reading this summer! Complete the challenge by reading five books before August 13, and you'll earn raffle entries for a City Beach Parking Pass - valued at $150! To get started, register online or in-person at any HBPL location. When you register, you'll get a Summer Reading reusable book tote as a bonus - the perfect bag to carry all of your summer books!
All prizes available while supplies last.

American History & Literature Trivia Night

Wednesday, June 28 at 6:30pm in the Talbert Room at Central Library. Registration required.

Think you know your stuff when it comes to American history and literature? Form a team and sign up for this fun, America-themed trivia night at the Central Library - just in time for the Fourth of July!

Summer Reading Recommendations

Mrs. Peanuckle's Hiking Alphabet by Jessie Ford
Call Number: BOARD
Get ready to go on a hiking adventure and learn your ABCs with Mrs. Peanuckle! A is for Air B is for Bears, Birds, and Bunnies C is for Compass Mrs. Peanuckle takes on the outdoors and shares all her favorite animals, plants, and more in her latest tour of the ABCs!
Let's Find Momo Outdoors! by Andrew Knapp
Call Number: BOARD
Explore the great outdoors with Momo the adorable border collie and his new puppy companion Boo in this bright, friendly board book!
Woodland Dance! by Sandra Boynton
Call Number: BOARD
Woodland animals heed the call of the fox's bugle to join the woodland dance in a moonlit glade, dancing all night to the music of the Woodland Dance Trio. As the animals wander off to bed, the Trio plays one last piece to welcome the sun. A lovely, lyrical way to end, or start, the day.
In the Forest by Redd Byrd
Call Number: BOARD
The forest is full of places to explore and things to discover! Discover wildflowers and insects on the mountain trail, spot forest animals in the woods, learn all about animals that dig burrows for their homes, search for turtles and fish in the cool stream, and learn all about nocturnal animals that search for food at night. Toddlers and preschoolers will love identifying animals, insects, birds, fish, trees, and flowers found in nature while practicing early math and conversation skills.
Home: a Peek-Through Picture Book by Patricia Hegarty
Call Number: XE HEGARTY, P.
A bear cub explores the different types of homes animals build in the forest. Peek-through holes in each page provide a glimpse inside!
Fatima's Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq
Call Number: XE TARIQ, A.
Fatima Khazi is excited for the weekend. Her family is headed to a local state park for their first camping trip! The school week might not have gone as planned, but outdoors, Fatima can achieve anything. She sets up a tent with her father, builds a fire with her mother, and survives an eight-legged mutant spider (a daddy longlegs with an impressive shadow) with her sister. At the end of an adventurous day, the family snuggles inside one big tent, serenaded by the sounds of the forest.
If I Were a Park Ranger by Catherine Stier
Call Number: X 363.68 STI
If you were a national park ranger, you'd spend every day in one of the most treasured places in America. You'd wear a special uniform, a hat, and a badge―but sometimes you might also need snowshoes or a life jacket. Maybe you'd track the movements of wild animals. You could help scientists make discoveries. You might even be part of a search and rescue team! You'd have an amazing job protecting animals, the environment, and our country's natural and historical heritage, from the wilds of Denali to the Statue of Liberty.
Hello, Puddle! by Anita Sanchez
Call Number: X 577 SAN
Hello, puddle! Who's here?
A normal everyday puddle may not seem very special. But for a mother turtle, it might be the perfect place to lay her eggs. For a squirrel, it might be the only spot to cool off and get a drink when the sun is shining down in July. And for any child, it can be a window into the elegant, complex natural world right outside their window.
Look What I Found in the Woods by Moira Butterfield
Call Number: X 577.3 BUT
Open your senses to a world of wonder by taking a walk through the woods! Set off on an outdoor adventure and find natural treasures, from prickly pine cones to swirly snails' shells, then learn more about the plants and creatures of the forest in this fact-filled guide to the outdoors.
Wildfire! by Ashley Wolff
Call Number: XE WOLFF, A.
There is a flash. Then a crack. Bluejay spreads the news: “Firefirefire in the forest!” There’s a wildfire on Spruce Mountain! High up in the Evergreen Tower, dispatcher Maria sees it, too. She calls on expert teams of pilots, smokejumpers, and firefighters to battle the blaze. Meanwhile, the animals of the forest, from bears to deer to turtles, take shelter from the smoke and flames.

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? by Peter Wohlleben
Call Number: X 582.16 WOH
Did you know that trees have parents, and tree grandparents with wrinkles? That tree kids go to school for hundreds of years? That there is such a thing as the forest internet? And that trees make us healthy and strong. Sometimes, even trees get sick, but we can help them heal. Can You Hear the Trees Talking? shares the mysteries and magic of the forest in language kids will love and understand.
Camp by Kayla Miller
Call Number: X VL MILLER, K.
Olive and Willow are happy campers! Or are they? Olive is sure she'll have the best time at summer camp with her friend Willow - but while Olive makes quick friends with the other campers, Willow struggles to form connections and latches on to the only person she knows - Olive. It's s'more than Olive can handle! The stress of being Willow's living security blanket begins to wear on Olive and before long ... the girls aren't just fighting, they may not even be friends by the time camp is over. Will the two be able to patch things up before the final lights out?
Hansel and Greta by Jeanette Winterson
Call Number: X WINTERSON, J.
Greta lives with her brother Hansel on the edge of a great forest - a forest in danger of destruction. GreedyGuts, their aunt, doesn't appreciate Hansel and Greta's plans to replant trees and save the forest. In fact, she thinks they're horrible little vegetarians. GreedyGuts doesn't give two hoots about nature. She favors luxury and living it up: eating, shopping and partying hard and so she hatches a plan to get rid of the meddling, do-gooder kids deep in the woods. With her trademark subversive and comic eye, Jeanette Winterson retells the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel.
National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber
Call Number: X 363.68 SIB
Discover the beauty and diversity of America's great outdoors in this tour of its most iconic national parks. Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures. Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each park, this fully-illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents the nation's most magnificent and sacred places-and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Northwind by Gary Paulsen
Call Number: X PAULSEN, G.
When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.”
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
Call Number: X FREEMAN, M.
When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She's alone-left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie's most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie's stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?
The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling
Call Number: X BOWLING, D.
One year after a random shooting changed their family forever, Nora and her father are exploring a slot canyon deep in the Arizona desert, hoping it will help them find peace. Nora longs for things to go back to normal, like they were when her mother was still alive, while her father keeps them isolated in fear of other people. But when they reach the bottom of the canyon, the unthinkable happens: A flash flood rips across their path, sweeping away Nora's father and all of their supplies. Suddenly, Nora finds herself lost and alone in the desert, facing dehydration, venomous scorpions, deadly snakes, and, worst of all, the Beast who has terrorized her dreams for the past year. If Nora is going to save herself and her father, she must conquer her fears, defeat the Beast, and find the courage to live her new life.
The Courage Test by James Preller
Call Number: X PRELLER, J.
Will has no choice. His father drags him along on a wilderness adventure in the footsteps of legendary explorers Lewis and Clark--whether he likes it or not. All the while, Will senses that something about this trip isn't quite right. Along the journey, Will meets fascinating strangers and experiences new thrills, including mountain cliffs, whitewater rapids, and a heart-hammering bear encounter. It is a journey into the soul of America's past, and the meaning of family in the future. In the end, Will must face his own, life-changing test of courage.
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
Call Number: X WOLK, L.
After losing almost everything in the Great Depression, Ellie’s family is forced to leave their home in town and start over in the untamed wilderness of nearby Echo Mountain. Ellie has found a welcome freedom, and a love of the natural world, in her new life on the mountain. But there is little joy after a terrible accident leaves her father in a coma. An accident unfairly blamed on Ellie. Ellie is a girl who takes matters into her own hands, and determined to help her father she will make her way to the top of the mountain in search of the healing secrets of a woman known only as “the hag.” But the hag, and the mountain, still have many untold stories left to reveal.
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
Call Number: X PARRY, R.
Swift, a young wolf cub, lives with his pack in the mountains learning to hunt, competing with his brothers and sisters for hierarchy, and watching over a new litter of cubs. Then a rival pack attacks, and Swift and his family scatter. Alone and scared, Swift must flee and find a new home. His journey takes him a remarkable one thousand miles across the Pacific Northwest. The trip is full of peril, and Swift encounters forest fires, hunters, highways, and hunger before he finds his new home. Inspired by the extraordinary true story of a wolf named OR-7 (or Journey), this irresistible tale of survival invites readers to experience and imagine what it would be like to be one of the most misunderstood animals on earth.

¡Ay, Mija! : My Bilingual Summer in Mexico (a Graphic Novel) by Christine Suggs
Call Number: COMING SOON!
Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don't yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up--the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father--Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family. Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine's two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Call Number: FIC (YA) HAN, J.
Belly spends every summer at a beach house with her mom, her mom's best friend Susannah, and Susannah's sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. This year, as Conrad prepares to start college, boys begin paying attention to Belly, family secrets linger in the background, and Belly's complicated feelings for both boys come to a head.

This book is the first in a trilogy, and is followed up by "It's Not Summer Without You" and "We'll Always Have Summer."
This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki (Illustrator); Mariko Tamaki
Call Number: FIC (YA VL) TAMAKI, M.
Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad... Something life threatening. It's a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other..
Postcards from Summer by Cynthia Platt
Call Number: FIC (YA) PLATT, C.
Seventeen-year-old Lexi travels to her late mother's majestic summertime home to learn of the romance--and the tragedy--that changed her life forever.
The Matchbreaker Summer by Annie Rains
Call Number: FIC (YA) RAINS, A.
At summer camp, sixteen-year-olds Paisley and Hayden, two teens with nothing in common, come together to help break up a romance and unexpectedly start one of their own.

Check out the full list of summer picks for teens on the Library's Teen Reads webpage!

That Wild Country by Mark Kenyon
Call Number: 333.109 KEN
Every American is a public-land owner, inheritor to the largest public-land trust in the world. These vast expanses provide a home to wildlife populations, a vital source of clean air and water, and a haven for recreation. Since its inception, however, America’s public land system has been embroiled in controversy―caught in the push and pull between the desire to develop the valuable resources the land holds or conserve them. Alarmed by rising tensions over the use of these lands, hunter, angler, and outdoor enthusiast Mark Kenyon set out to explore the spaces involved in this heated debate, and learn firsthand how they came to be and what their future might hold.
The River by Peter Heller
Call Number: FIC HELLER, P.
Wynn and Jack have been best friends since college orientation, bonded by their shared love of mountains, books, and fishing. When they decide to canoe the Maskwa River in northern Canada, they anticipate long days of leisurely paddling and picking blueberries, and nights of stargazing and reading paperback Westerns. But a wildfire making its way across the forest adds unexpected urgency to the journey. One night, with the fire advancing, they hear a man and woman arguing on the fog-shrouded riverbank; the next day, a man appears on the river, paddling alone. Is this the same man they heard? And if he is, where is the woman?
All Things Left Wild by James Wade
Call Number: WES WADE, J.
After an attempted horse theft goes tragically wrong, sixteen-year-old Caleb Bentley is on the run with his mean-spirited older brother across the American Southwest at the turn of the twentieth century. Caleb's moral compass and inner courage will be tested as they travel the harsh terrain and encounter those who have carved out a life there, for good or ill. Wealthy and bookish Randall Dawson, out of place in this rugged and violent country, is begrudgingly chasing after the Bentley brothers. With little sense of how to survive, much less how to take his revenge, Randall meets Charlotte, a woman experienced in the deadly ways of life in the West. Together they navigate the murky values of vigilante justice.
100 Hikes of a Lifetime by Kate Siber
Call Number: 796.51 SIB
This ultimate hiker's bucket list, from the celebrated Appalachian Trail to Micronesia's off-the-beaten-path Six Waterfalls Hike, treks through 100 energizing experiences for all levels. Filled with beautiful National Geographic photography, wisdom from expert hikers like Andrew Skurka, need-to-know travel information, and practical wildlife-spotting tips, this inspirational guide offers the planet's best experiences for hikers and sightseers.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Call Number: 813.6 STR
At 26, Cheryl's life was a mess. She was mourning the death of her mother, the disintegration of her marriage, and her family was scattered. Feeling she had nothing more to lose she decided to hike the Pacific Crest trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State alone, despite the fact that she had no previous hiking experience. It was during that hike that she emotionally healed herself.
Rewild Your Life: 52 Ways to Reconnect with Nature by Sarah Stirling
Call Number: 508 STI
Through 52 seasonal indoor and outdoor projects, adventure writer and wild swimming enthusiast Sarah Stirling shows you how connecting more deeply with the natural world is key to keeping the environment alive, while simultaneously bringing the joy and wonder back into every day. Projects range from spoon carving to foraging in the hedgerows, making and mending to natural navigation and growing vegetables. You can follow these projects week by week for a year, or flick through the book to find ideas you'd like to try - many are achievable all year round. Whether you're an outdoor expert or a novice, eight years old or eighty, there's plenty in here for you.
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
Call Number: 591.5 ROA
What's to be done about a jaywalking moose? A grizzly bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? As New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology. Roach tags along with animal attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and "danger tree" faller-blasters. She travels from leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Indian Himalaya to St. Peter's Square in the early hours before the Pope arrives for Easter Mass, when vandal gulls swoop in to destroy the elaborate floral display. Along the way, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature's lawbreakers.
The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
Call Number: 155.9 WIL
From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature's positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas-and the answers they yield-are more urgent than ever.
Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin
Call Number: FIC MCLAUGHLIN, J.
Rice Moore is just beginning to think his troubles are behind him. He’s found a job protecting a remote forest preserve in Virginian Appalachia where his main responsibilities include tracking wildlife and refurbishing cabins. It’s hard work, and totally solitary—perfect to hide away from the Mexican drug cartels he betrayed back in Arizona. But when Rice finds the carcass of a bear killed on the grounds, the quiet solitude he’s so desperately sought is suddenly at risk.
The Third Pole by Mark Synnott
Call Number: 796.522 SYN
A hundred-year mystery lured veteran climber Mark Synnott into an unlikely expedition up Mount Everest during the spring 2019 season that came to be known as “the Year Everest Broke.” What he found was a gripping human story of impassioned characters from around the globe and a mountain that will consume your soul—and your life—if you let it.