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Do you remember Pizza Hut’s Book It! program? Every year, students would read more books than they ever thought possible so they could earn free pizza. A new year of the Book It! program is starting now, and it’s even going digital to keep up with smartphone technology.
The Book It! program story began back in 1984 and since then has served more than 65 million students nationwide in tens of thousands of elementary schools around the country.
Each year from Oct. 1 through March 31, Pizza Hut’s Book It! program collaborates with teachers and homeschooling parents to help boost students’ interest in reading. Educators set monthly reading goals for students. These goals can be based on the number of books read, minutes read or the number of pages, for example. Allowing flexible goals means students of all reading levels can achieve them.
Then, once a student hits their monthly goal, they earn a Book It! Reading Award Certificate that can be redeemed for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza at Pizza Hut. Students can earn a total of six certificates — and thus six pizzas — each school year.
Teachers and homeschooling parents can enroll in the Pizza Hut Book It! Program digital program through the initiative’s official website. Now, educators can connect with students and parents seamlessly via the online platform and email instead of the paperwork that used to be involved with the program.
And, Pizza Hut’s Book It! program is also offering a bonus reward of three free e-books that parents can download to enjoy with their students. Just visit the Book It! free e-book Amazon page to get your copies of “Ruby Redfort Look Into My Eyes” by Lauren Child, “Those Shoes,” by Maribeth Boelts, and “Leroy Ninker Saddles Up.”
Honestly, we agree with Twitter users like Jason Falvey who want to see a Book It! program for adults. Wouldn’t you make a little more time for reading if you could get a free personal pan pizza?
I miss the Book It program at Pizza Hut…any chance they start giving pizza rewards for adults who read?
— ChatDPT (@JRayFalvey) June 12, 2021
The Child Literacy Challenges Book It! Wants To Overcome
With technology taking the spotlight away from reading, it can be harder than ever to try to engage children in reading a book. Literacy statistics from Reading is Fundamental, a nationwide literacy nonprofit organization, show our nation’s children are struggling to keep up basic literacy skills.
- 34% of children entering kindergarten lack the basic skills needed to learn how to read
- 65% of 4th graders read below grade level, and
- Only 37% of students graduate high school at or above reading proficiency level
These numbers contribute to at least 8,000 students dropping out of high school every day.
By creating the Book It! program, Pizza Hut wants to provide fun incentives for students to launch a love of reading at an early age.
“To give the gift of reading to those who need it most is an act we find incredibly rewarding and to be able to do it simply by ordering pizza makes it a win-win,” said Pizza Hut CMO Lindsay Morgan in a press statement earlier this year.
To find out more about Pizza Hut’s Book It! program, visit the official Book It! website and encourage your school to sign up now!
Marie is a freelance writer and content creator with more than 20 years of experience in journalism. She lives in southwest Ohio with her husband and is almost a full-fledged empty nest mom of two daughters. She loves music, reading, word games, and Walt Disney World. You can find her writing about her personal health journey at marierossiter.substack.com and connect with her at marierossiter@gmail.com More.
