Shropshire Libraries celebrate successful Summer Reading Challenge

Shropshire Libraries are celebrating their most successful Summer Reading Challenge campaign in recent years as nearly 3,000 children signed up across Shropshire.

The Summer Reading Challenge is an annual national campaign where children are challenged to read six library books over the summer holidays. Once completed they receive a medal and certificate.

Summer Reading Challenge 2019 materials

This year’s (2019) Space Chase theme appears to have captured the imagination of children across the county with 2,804 children signing up, and 1,678 children completing the challenge. This represented an increase of 234 more children signing up, and 297 more children completing, than in 2018. In excess of 28,000 items of children’s stock were borrowed over the period of the challenge.

Summer Reading Challenge 2019 – rockets

Preparation are already underway to make next year’s challenge, which will run from mid-July to early September 2020, even better.

Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure, waste and communications, said:

“Research has shown that children’s reading suffers during the summer holidays so I’m thrilled to see that so many Shropshire children took part and completed this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.”

Summer Reading Challenge 2019 feedback

What did the participants say?

“My daughter was so excited to complete the challenge. She carefully chose the books she wanted to read and loved discussing them with me.” Parent

“I thought I was not into books but now I love books so I liked the reading challenge!!!” – aged 8

Shropshire Libraries are part of Shropshire Council.