Summer Reading is June 5 – July 22, 2026
The 2026 Summer Reading theme is Unearth a Story! With reading challenges for every age, from babies and toddlers to adults, you can make this year your best summer of reading yet.
Registration opens May 15! Use the green button below to log into Beanstack, update your family members’ ages/grades, and register. Plus, mark your calendars to join us on the Library Lawn on June 5 for fun and games at the Summer Reading Kickoff from 12–2pm!
Need help? Stop into the library, call 734-475-8732 ext 209, OR email ref@chelseadistrictlibrary.org.
Jump into Beanstack to register for Summer Reading
Using a phone or mobile device? Add the Beanstack App from Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store. Checkout this quick tutorial on how to use the app for summer reading and more.
All Ages Summer Reading Program
Registration
- If you participated in the 2020–2025 Summer Reading Programs online, or if you participate in 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, you
already have a Beanstack account! Click the green button above to sign in using the same email and password. Update you family members’ age/grade information, then add the appropriate 2026 Reading Challenge. Be sure to update ages FIRST, so the correct challenge appears for each family member. - Never participated? Click the green button above and follow the prompts to create an account. You can pre-register starting May 15, but books and activities logged won’t count until June 5.
- Create one account for the whole family, then add individual readers.
- Need help? Call 734-475-8732 x209.
How does the Summer Reading Program work?
- Adults, teens, and children will register for age appropriate summer reading challenges. Everyone, including babies and toddlers, can participate!
- Read, read, read to earn badges and win prizes, including a book of your choice.
- In addition to reading badge prizes, earn tickets for the Grand Prize Drawings of your choice!
- Earn extra tickets for our Grand Prize Drawings by completing activity badges that include fun activities in the library, at home, and throughout Chelsea.
- Watch this 2021 video tutorial for logging your books! Note: Adults and babies/toddlers (Listeners) log the number of books read. Kids (Readers) and Teens log the number of hours read.
Win Amazing Grand Prizes!
- Youth Grand Prizes: You could win tickets to Rolling Hills Water Park, a Dinosaur prize pack, Rocks and Gemstones prize pack, a
Backyard Diggin’ prize pack, lessons from ATA Martial Arts, a Local Chelsea prize pack with goodies from Kitty Face, Lakehouse Bakery, and the Chelsea Fair, and much more! - Teen Grand Prizes: Read for a chance to win an International Snacks Pack, a Dungeons & Dragons prize pack, and the ever-popular $100 Target gift card, and others!
- Adult Grand Prizes: Choose from the following Chelsea-area businesses for a chance to win a gift card to Agricole, Cleary’s, Common Grill, Grateful Crow, Garden Mill, Smokehouse 52, and Valiant; tickets to Purple Rose, and an Art prize pack!
- Grand Prize winners will be announced after July 22. View the entire Grand Prize lineup in the library and through Beanstack.
Dates to Know
- Friday, June 5 | Summer Reading begins! Join us for Kickoff to pick up your Reading Log and party on the Library Lawn!
- Wednesdays | June 10–July 15 | Wild Wednesdays – watch the CDL calendar for fun for kids ages 6+
- Thursdays | June 11–July 16 | 10:30–11:15am | Thrilling Thursdays for our friends ages 2–6
- Thursdays | June 11–July 16 | 2–3pm | Teen Summer Thursdays for tweens and teens entering grades 6–12
- Wednesday, July 22 | Summer Reading Finale with the Bubble Lady & Little Licks Tasty Treats!
- Wednesday, July 22 | Summer Reading Program ends. Enter all tickets by 8pm into the Grand Prize Drawings at the library.
- Friday, July 24 | Teen Summer Reading Finale – By invitation only!
