Warwickshire Libraries are once again running the national Summer Reading Challenge initiative to keep children reading over the summer.
For over 20 years, the Summer Reading Challenge has been encouraging children aged 4 to 11 to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure over the summer holidays, providing lots of fun as well as preventing the summer reading ‘dip’.
This year, the Summer Reading Challenge is primarily in a new digital format with the theme of ‘Silly Squad’, to celebrate funny books, happiness and laughter.
Children taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge, which features bespoke artwork from award-winning children’s author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson (Amelia Fang; Evil Emperor Penguin), will join the ‘Silly Squad’, an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into all sorts of funny books!
This year’s designated Summer Reading Challenge website – www.sillysquad.org.uk – is free to access and features games, quizzes and downloadable activities that incentivise and encourage children to take part in reading related activities. Parents need to sign up their children online to enable them to register for the Challenge and participate fully. This year children set their own Challenge target of books read, and they can read anything, including comics, or maybe read a book to a sibling.
Warwickshire Libraries will deliver the Summer Reading Challenge through its virtual services and e-lending platforms, and a new ‘Click and Collect’ service means people can now pre-order books online free of charge at http://library.warwickshire.gov.uk and pick them up from selected library locations at a pre-arranged time.
You can visit https://library.warwickshire.gov.uk to find out about the ‘Click and Collect’ service and how children can access eBooks and audiobooks through the BorrowBox loan app, and comics and magazines free through the RB Digital service, so they can complete the Challenge at home this year.
Warwickshire Libraries have also commissioned some talented poets and storytellers to do ‘silly’ sessions online for young people, while they are unable to offer activities in our libraries. Watch the Warwickshire Libraries website, social media and weekly e-newsletter for details of these.
