FAQs

Are you new to the Summer Reading Challenge?

Here is everything you need to know about the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge.

What is the Summer Reading Challenge?

Summer Reading Challenge is our biggest campaign of the year where we share our picks for the hottest books of summer that everyone will be reading. To make it fun, we’ve created a challenge and invite you all to read along with us and share your book posts and pictures using our hashtag, #SRC202020. While we may have a different tagline or design each year (this year is Camp BookSparks: Summer Reading Camp), the basics of the Summer Reading Challenge remain the same – get copies of our book picks by requesting copies through NetGalley, purchasing them or visiting your local library and read along and post all summer.

What is Summer Reading Camp?

Summer Reading Camp is the theme of our Summer Reading Challenge for 2020. It is a digital reading campaign, meaning you can read along from anywhere. While we wish this was an actual sleep-away camp, it’s simply the theme of this year’s summer challenge.

Do I get free books when I sign up for SRC?

Signing up for Summer Reading Camp 2020 is your way of letting us know that you’re reading along with us and want to be the first to know the latest SRC news. You are NOT signing up to receive free review copies of our titles. Our review copies are extremely limited and already allocated, and we cannot respond to requests for copies. We do make every effort to secure extra copies when possible and offer those to fans through our BookSharks Facebook Group, our newsletter and on our Instagram account.

What precautions are being taken in response to COVID-19 and the Summer Reading Challenge?

The health and well-being of all our ambassadors, readers and fans is very important to BookSparks. We are taking several precautions, in line with federal recommendations, to ensure the packages we send during this campaign are as safe as possible. In addition to sanitizing our shipping space and any books, gifts or other materials that enter our office, our team is also wearing protective gear when packing your books to help keep you safe.

Is Summer Reading Camp 2020 a real camp?

Summer Reading Camp 2020 is not associated with any other existing live events. It is an online, digital campaign where readers across the world read, review and share our titles using #SRC2020.

How can I be considered as an ambassador aka camp counselor?

If you’re reading with us, posting and using #SRC2020, we consider you an ambassador. This is an open campaign that everyone is invited to participate in by purchasing the books, checking out ebooks from the library, listening to the audiobooks and posting pictures and reviews using #SRC2020.

Each year we work directly with publishers to secure a small number of review copies of our book picks. These copies are provided to a hand-selected group of influencers and partners, who are chosen based on a variety of criteria. If you would like to be considered as an official ambassador for future reading challenges, please apply to become a BookShark.

Due to our limited supply of review copies, we simply cannot respond to requests for free review copies. If and when we have additional copies available, we will share this information first with our BookSharks community (apply here to become a member), on Instagram @BookSparks and in our newsletter, The Spark.

How can I participate if I’m not an official ambassador?
  • Shop Small When You Can: During this unprecedented pandemic, it’s more important than ever to support your local independent bookstore. We encourage you to purchase books through their online systems whenever possible.
  • Listen to the Audiobooks: We have partnered with Libro.fm to support local bookstores and give you a way to listen to all of our titles. Click here to see all our audiobook titles, and if you’re not already subscribed to their service consider clicking here to sign up using our special offer link so that you get two free books in your first month.
  • Request: If you’re a blogger or Instagrammer who was not selected to receive books, be sure you’re a BookShark (apply here) to find out when we have more copies available. We are also giving away copies as we have them on our Instagram account @BookSparks.
  • Share: Whenever you post about one of our #SRC book picks, be sure to tag @BookSparks #SRC2020 and the author (and @librofm if you’re listening along!).