Summer Reading Challenge

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This year's challenge

Get involved

Reading Recommendations

What's this year's challenge?

Join the Marvellous Makers - Amelia, Charlie, Kai, Maya, Riley, Laila and Yasmin - plus Bob the dog, who are all members of a creative club at their local library. They've been busy making things for a festival at the library this summer, but some of the items are missing from their creative toolbox and they can't finish their projects! Tails (a cheeky squirrel) has been seen at the club, we wonder who has taken them?

Your quest is to play detective, collecting stickers by reading books all summer to find out what Tails has been up. If you complete the challenge, you will save the festival.

To help you on the way, you'll receive a poster where you can log the books you've read, collect stickers and help the makers complete their projects.

Find a library

How to get involved

Borrow some books from the library to get started with your reading challenge, and solving the mystery of the missing craft materials.

Read six library books (or more!) over the holidays, and visit the library for every 2 books you read to tell library staff what you've read and collect special stickers to uncover clues to the missing tools.

Collect all the stickers to find the out what Tails (the squirrel) has been up to and complete the Challenge!

Why take part in the summer reading challenge

Can't find what you're looking for?

Fun for all the family

The Summer Reading Challenge is a great time to share and talk about books as a family. Sitting down with a book, newspaper or magazine sets a good example to kids - they will copy you. Children enjoy taking part and many teachers will tell us that they return to school with a new enthusiasm and confidence for reading.

While your children are choosing their books for Ready, Set Read! it's a great chance for you to discover the full range of what's on offer at the library. From reading groups to computer access, let us help you make the most of the library.

Encourage a love of reading

Currently, 1 in 5 children in England cannot read well by the age of 11. We know that reading for fun improves literacy.

Reading for pleasure is more important to children’s academic success than their parents’ level of education or socio-economic status.
Embedding a love of reading in children can help their wellbeing later in life. 19% of adult readers say that reading stops them feeling lonely.
Studies have found that those who read for pleasure have higher levels of empathy, greater self-esteem and are better able to cope with difficult situations.

The Summer Reading Challenge gets around 700,000 children into libraries each year to keep up their reading skills.

Includes everyone

At the heart of the Challenge is children choosing and sharing books - in any format - that they like.

If your child is visually impaired or finds printed books tricky, our libraries will be able to help suggest alternatives.
Our collections include large print, braille, and Barrington Stoke titles, and our online collection via the Libby App also has a range of accessibility features like adjustable fonts, including dyslexic fonts, coloured backgrounds, and screen reading capabilities to make reading fun for your family.
The free RNIB Library (which covers braille, giant print and Talking Books) can also be used for the Summer Reading Challenge and throughout the year, and our libraries can help you with this.

Library services are increasingly aware of the needs of children with autism and some libraries run dedicated Autism Friendly sessions, find your library to find out more.

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Discover the Marvellous Makers collection

From picture books that ignite their imaginations to stories that will take them on an adventure, browse titles from the Marvellous Makers collection below.

Kiki Kallira breaks a kingdom

Mandanna, Sangu, author.

Knight of Tykotech City

Soh, Sarah, author.

Grimwood

Shireen, Nadia, author, illustrator.

Music and how it works: the complete guide for kids

Morland, Charlie, author.

The piano at the station

Rutter, Helen (Children's author), author.

The wildstorm curse

Morris, Eve Wersocki, author.

Trixie Pickle, Art Avenger

Falafel, Olaf, author, illustrator.

The four curses

Garnish, Jodie, author.

Marvin and the book of magic

Pearson, Jenny, 1981- author.

Fantastically great women artists and their stories

Pankhurst, Kate, author, illustrator.

The secret hen house theatre

Peters, Helen.

The book that no one wanted to read

Ayoade, Richard, 1977- author.

A year of Black joy: 52 Black voices share their life passions

Red sky at night, poet's delight

Wharton, Alex, author.

Roar of the hungry beast

Sami, Annabelle, author.

I can be...creative: talented artists who inspired the world

Vallepur, Shalini, author.

Rani reports on the missing millions

Shewhorak, Gabrielle, author.

How I feel: 40 wellbeing activities for kids

Goddard-Hill, Becky, author.

Clementine Florentine

Harrison, Tasha, author.

I am the wind: Irish poems for children everywhere

The rapping princess

Lee, Hannah (Picture book author), author.

My beautiful voice

Coelho, Joseph, author.

Fox & Son Tailers

Donnelly, Paddy (Illustrator), author, artist.

Big dance

Greenham, Aoife, author, artist.

Matisse's magical trail

Hopgood, Tim, author.

The artist

Vere, Ed, author, artist.

Mildred the gallery cat

Ganz, Jono, author, artist.

The great paint

Willmore, Alex, author, artist.

I am Nefertiti

Anang, Annemarie, author.

Dadaji's paintbrush

Sirdeshpande, Rashmi, author.

The dot

Reynolds, Peter H. (Peter Hamilton), 1961- author, artist.

How to make a story

Jones, Naomi Cartwright, author.

Shu Lin's grandpa

Goodfellow, Matt, author.

All the wonderful ways to read

Baker, Laura, 1983- author.

I love books

Ilustrajo, Mariajo, author, artist.

The library mouse

Tosdevin, Frances, author.

Frida the rock-and-roll moth

Hillyard, Kim, author, artist.

Ruby's repair cafe

Worthington, Michelle, 1976- author.

View more children's books in our catalogue Go to catalogue

Join the challenge at a Better library near you

Greenwich libraries Bromley Libraries Dudley Libraries Wandsworth Libraries Lincolnshire Libraries

Keep your child's mind and body active this summer

Why not make the most of all the facilities GLL has to offer? As well as the Summer Reading Challenge, get the kids active with a summer of fun at a Better Leisure Centre near you.

Holiday courses

Dive into the world of swimming, tennis or even gymnastics with a short course over the summer. Whether you're a beginner or looking to level up your sports skills, book your spot now on a holiday short course.

Better Flex Junior Membership

Get ready for an sports-packed summer with a Better Flex junior membership. You'll enjoy one free visit per month and up to 30% off additional visits for junior gym, junior fitness classes and swimming.

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