I am delighted to support The Reading Agency’s mission to encourage all primary school children to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. The Challenge launches across England on Saturday 8th July.

This summer, children aged 4-11 can visit their library to join a superstar team and their marvellous mascots and get involved in a Summer Reading Challenge themed around the power of play, sport, and games.

Through taking part in the Challenge, with free materials from the local library and online via the Challenge website, children will be encouraged to keep their minds and bodies active over the summer break. Children will join the fun characters – brought to life by children’s author and illustrator Loretta Schauer – to navigate a fictional summer obstacle course and track their reading as they go, rewarded by free incentives including stickers.

Through physical activity challenge cards from the Youth Sport Trust, and an exciting, themed book collection, the Summer Reading Challenge aims to keep imaginations moving over the school holiday. By participating in the Challenge, young people will have the opportunity to explore new reading material, develop skills, and discover new interests.

The Summer Reading Challenge has been running since 1999 and helps to improve children’s reading skills and confidence over the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for their return to school. With the help of local libraries, the Summer Reading Challenge is accessible to all and provides a fun, free activity for children. In 2022, the Summer Reading Challenge reached 723,184 children and families across the UK, with 608,015 children taking part through their local library service, a 31% increase compared to 2021. The Challenge also drove 132,223 new children’s library memberships which is 40% higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic total.

For more information on how to get involved, visit summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/