When I was a kid, one of my favorite things about summer was the Pizza Hut Book-It Program. The program, which is still around today, rewards children for meeting monthly reading goals by giving them free pizza and other treats. Though I’m no longer eligible for free prizes, I still make it a point to read as much as possible, especially during the lazy days of summer.

So in that spirit, here’s a reading challenge, if you choose to accept it – finish a book from each of the following categories before the official close of summer on September 21. That’s only three books. Can you do it?

A Classic

The great thing about classic books is that you can often read them online for free. Sites like Classic Reader, Page by Page Books, and Project Gutenberg collectively feature thousands of books that cost nothing to access. Amazon’s Kindle store and Apple’s iBooks also offer free selections. Not sure which classic work to (virtually) pick up? Here are a few classic “must-read” lists. My favorite classics include 1984, War of the Worlds, Fahrenheit 451, The Great Gatsby, Down and Out in Paris and London, Beowulf, and Jane Eyre, among others.

A YA Sensation

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Twilight, and The Hunger Games were best selling novels before they were Hollywood blockbusters, so why not read the books to see what the fuss is about? If you’re looking for the next big thing, you could try one of the series Hollywood is eyeing for future films. Studios have so far purchased the rights to Chaos Walking, Divergent, Beautiful Creatures, Uglies, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Shiver, and Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I recommend Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series.

A NY Times Best Seller

The New York Times Best Sellers list is always a great place to find interesting reads. Right now, the Fifty Shades trilogy dominates the combined print and e-book fiction list, while four books from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (the inspiration for HBO’s Game of Thrones) rank in the paperback mass-market fiction list. I’m on book four of Martins’ series, and while the books are good, the number of characters and detailed descriptions can make for some tedious reading.

Have any book recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!

Photo: DuBoix Morguefile