This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is coming to North Somerset libraries from 9 July to 16 September and is called Story Lab.

Parents or carers can now take their children to sign up at their local library and all materials are free! Children can choose any books to read from the thousands of titles held in libraries. As children read six books to progress through the three stages of the reading challenge bronze, silver and gold, they will receive a bookmark, their own Story Lab model with three sets of stickers to collect, a Story Lab door hanger and a Story Lab chatterbox subject to availability.

Every child who reads six books and completes the challenge receives a certificate and medal and can also be entered into a prize draw to win one of thirty junior swim cards to be used at leisure pools in North Somerset.

The Summer Reading Challenge, organised nationally by the Reading Agency, is an immensely popular and successful national annual reading initiative. The Reading Agency is an independent charity working to inspire people to read more. Now in its 14th year over 5,000 children joined the challenge in North Somerset libraries last year. The challenge helps children to maintain their reading motivation during the school holidays.

Here is just a flavour of the comments from children who participated in last year’s challenge called Circus Stars: “I enjoyed Circus Stars a lot and next summer I hope we will have a reading challenge just as fun”, and “It was awesome because I got fun stickers for each stage. It made me read more books, and I liked them”.

Comments from parents included: “Really enjoyed her first reading challenge, the atmosphere in the library was really vibrant” and “What a great way to get the kids reading through the summer. My children certainly enjoyed it and will be joining in next summer!” and “A great scheme to get my daughter reading who can be reluctant to read at home”.

Library staff have been visiting schools to promote Story Lab and can suggest books for children to read when they come to the library. There is also an interactive Story Lab website created by the Reading Agency. See the libraries section for more details or contact your local library.