Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith is encouraging all primary school children to join their local library and take part in this summer’s exciting Reading Challenge which launches this weekend (9th July).
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme is ‘Gadgeteers’ and is all about science and innovation. Developed in partnership with the Science Museum Group, the Challenge will inspire children to use their curiosity and creativity to discover the science behind a whole range of interests from fashion and technology to cooking and music. There are 67 suggested book titles to explore.
It is completely free for children to participate with packs available from West Sussex libraries and via the website. Children will be able to join six fictional ‘Gadgeteers’ on their reading journey. The characters have been brought to life by children’s writer and illustrator Julian Beresford.
The annual reading challenge was first launched in 1999 to encourage children to read for pleasure during the school summer holidays, building reading confidence and helping to prevent the ‘dip’ in reading skills while children are out of school.
Andrew Griffith said:
“The Summer Reading Challenge is a terrific way to motivate young children to read books and learn more about the everyday science and innovation in the world around them. I would love to see lots of children using their libraries this summer and taking part in this great free activity.”
For more information, visit www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk.
ENDS
Notes for the editor
- Photograph – Andrew at the Summer Reading Challenge launch in London.
- More about The Summer Reading Challenge
Taking place annually, the Challenge encourages children aged 4 to 11 to keep reading during the summer holidays. Children’s reading can ‘dip’ during the long summer holidays if they don’t have regular access to books, and encouragement to read for pleasure. This can be a problem for schools to put right in the new term. The Summer Reading Challenge helps by regularly reaching over 700,000 children each year, motivating them to visit the library and keep reading during the holidays, and in turn helping them to maintain their reading skills and confidence.
- Location of the Summer Reading Challenge
The Challenge runs in 95% of UK public libraries and online via our children’s website, summerreadingchallenge.org.uk. Children can join via their local library, where they can borrow books, attend events, and collect free incentives and rewards. They can also sign up via our children’s website, where they can rate and review books, download activities, and access video content, games and quizzes.
- Introducing the Gadgeteers!
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge, ‘Gadgeteers’, is all about science and innovation. Developed in partnership with the Science Museum Group, the Challenge will inspire children to use their curiosity and creativity to discover the science behind the everyday, and celebrates the role of the imagination in both reading and the sciences. Through the Challenge, children will meet our six fictional characters, the Gadgeteers, brought to life by top children’s writer and illustrator, Julian Beresford. Over the summer term, the Science Museum Group will be offering opportunities and resources for UK public libraries and primary schools to engage with the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge and to spark children’s imaginations.
- The Summer Reading Challenge Book Collection is comprised of 67 inspiring titles for children of all reading levels aged 4-11. Each title has been specially chosen to reflect key Gadgeteers themes including everyday science, invention and creation, and fun with friends. Read about the selection process and explore this year’s collection at www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/gadgeteers-bc-landing. The collection is presented in two lists – one for younger children and one for more confident readers – representing exciting contemporary children’s fiction, poetry, non-fiction and picture books with science and innovation themes. Many of the books in the collection are newer titles publishing in 2022. A number of titles will be available to enjoy in additional formats, with eBook and audiobook availability noted where possible.
- The Reading Agency
The Agency aims to tackle life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. In 2020-21, The Reading Agency reached over 1.9 million people across the UK, including more than 900,000 children and over 900,000 adults and young people.
