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Pizza Hut Launches the BOOK IT!® App

In an exciting development for young readers, Pizza Hut has announced the launch of its very first BOOK IT!® app, marking a significant milestone in the program's 40-year history. This innovative digital tool is now available across all app stores and is part of the revitalized summer reading initiative, dubbed "BOOK IT! Summer of Stories," set to kick off on June 1. The app is designed specifically to assist parents in keeping their children engaged with reading throughout the summer.

Tackling the Summer Slide

The issue of the "Summer Slide"—a term that describes the dip in children’s reading skills over the summer break—is well documented. Research indicates that, by the time students reach middle school, they may lose up to two years of learning due to a lack of reading during this period. The BOOK IT! app aims to combat this detrimental trend by encouraging children to maintain their reading habits even when school is not in session.

Features of the BOOK IT! App

The new app provides a platform for families to track their child’s reading progress, set monthly reading goals, and earn delicious pizza rewards, all while making reading a fun and engaging activity. Designed to accommodate children from Pre-K to 6th grade, the app allows parents to personalize their child’s reading experience based on individual capabilities and interests.

Parents can set specific monthly goals for their little ones to achieve, and once those goals are met, their children are rewarded with a complimentary Personal Pan Pizza® each month during June, July, and August. Lucila Cuello, Chief People and Culture Officer at Pizza Hut U.S., emphasizes the app's importance in fostering a love for reading: "BOOK IT! has inspired generations of children since 1984. With the launch of the BOOK IT! app, we are enhancing parental engagement and making reading more rewarding for families."

How to Get Started

To take part in the exciting summer reading adventure, families simply need to download the BOOK IT! app from their preferred app store. They can then set their child’s first reading goal for June by the 1st of the month, jumpstarting their journey into the world of books. Each page read gets children closer to their well-deserved pizza reward, creating a strong association between reading accomplishments and positive reinforcements.

A Legacy of Literacy

Since its inception in 1984, the BOOK IT!® program has established itself as one of the nation’s longest-running corporate-supported reading initiatives. Geared toward children from Pre-K through 6th grade, the program not only provides rewards for reading achievements but also empowers families to foster literacy. Over its lifetime, more than 70 million children have participated in the program, leading to the distribution of over 1.5 billion free Personal Pan Pizzas.

The launch of the BOOK IT! app represents Pizza Hut's commitment to continuing this legacy while engaging parents and children in new and exciting ways. It aims to not only enhance reading skills but also create lasting family memories centered around storytelling and shared experiences.

Families interested in more information about the BOOK IT! program and the "BOOK IT! Summer of Stories" initiative can visit www.bookitprogram.com. Additionally, Pizza Hut provides continual updates and engaging content through their official website, www.pizzahut.com, and their social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

In a world that is increasingly digital, Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! app stands as a beacon of promoting literacy in an innovative manner, making learning and reading a fun-filled adventure all summer long.