Summer Reading Challenge™

summer-reading.jpg

Ten years ago we started the Summer Reading Challenge™, as an experiment. The challenge was simple - read six books during the summer. As experiments go, we'd call this one a success.

This year, the Summer Reading website has had a staggering 3.5 million visitors - surpassing all previous records.

Reflecting the National Year of Reading theme for August and just before the Olympics we lined up a challenge to really stretch children's imagination to the max - Team Read!

You didn't have to be mad about sports to get into this year's Summer Reading Challenge - you only needed to like a challenge. And, judging by the number of children and young people visiting the website - they did.

There were a whole range of sporting incentives and ideas, with bronze, silver and gold levels to to keep children reading. Librarians turned team coach, helping to show children how they can become fast track readers. Some libraries ran team events where young readers could talk about the books and authors they enjoy. Check with local libraries to find out what they did and you can still visit the Team Read website at www.teamread.co.uk for lots of reading ideas, games, and authors' blogs.

Enjoying Reading

Enjoying Reading is our exciting new partnership project we are running with the Department of Children, Schools and Families. It encourages partnerships between libraries, school libraries and schools and there are extra Summer Reading Challenge resources to support libraries and schools to work together.

Background

Research shows that the Summer Reading Challenge improves children's confidence and sends them back to school fired up and ready to learn. As experiments go, we'd call this one a success. It is now the UK's biggest promotion of children's reading and attracts major partners like the BBC.

Ninety-seven percent of libraries in the UK are involved in the Summer Reading Challenge. We ask all participating libraries to fill out our online evaluation form at the end of each Challenge to help us plan the following year's Summer Reading Challenge.

We also provide interactive online learning packages for librarians running the Summer Reading Challenge on our TRF website.

Eight-year-old James from Solihull has done the Summer Reading Challenge for the last two years with his mum Karen.

"I think the Summer Reading Challenge is good because reading puts lots of good images in my head, and it makes me really want to finish the book I'm reading."

"I'd say to other parents that sharing a book with your child can be a really special time together. The Summer Reading Challenge will help you find books they'll be interested in. And it's all free - it doesn't cost anything to join your local library and take out a book."