The Summer Reading Challenge for 4 – 11 year olds is back!

The Summer Reading Challenge 2020 has started earlier than usual this year and is now on and runs throughout the summer, finishing on 30 Sept. As always, the challenge is free & lots of fun for children!

Normally the Libraries team would visit schools to see the children in assembly promoting the challenge and encourage the children to sign up. Unfortunately they cannot do that this year so instead they have filmed a virtual assembly for you all. The assembly has been uploaded to YouTube, for children who visit the library there may be some familiar faces on the video!

https://youtu.be/I1nNSsKGZ7M

This year’s Challenge is different – it’s a digital Challenge! As always, it’s free to access, featuring games, quizzes and downloadable activities to encourage children and their families to take part in reading related activities at home. Children can choose their own reading goals, create book reviews, play games and collect virtual rewards. Parents and guardians can register their children online at www.sillysquad.org.uk  via the safe, sign-up process.

This year’s title is “Silly Squad”, focusing on funny books, happiness & things that make us laugh. Children taking part in the challenge will join the Silly Squad, an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into many different kinds of funny books. It features bespoke artwork from award-winning children’s author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson (Amelia Fang; Evil Emperor Penguin).

Children's reading can dip during the long summer holidays if they do not have regular access to books and encouragement to read for pleasure, and the annual Summer Reading Challenge is intended to address this. Last year 19,111 Kent children took part, with 11,175 children completing the Challenge - how amazing is that?!

Although most library buildings are closed, Kent Libraries will continue to deliver the Challenge by promoting it to families, and eBooks and eAudio books are free to borrow from www.kent.gov.uk/libraries with titles for children as well as adults – there is a special children’s catalogue on our Overdrive platform (click on the ‘explore’ option to find it). EBooks and eAudio books are automatically returned so you don’t need to keep an eye on the due date! If you need help with online catalogue, contact our Ask A Kent Librarian Team https://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/libraries/free-computers-and-wifi/ask-a-kent-librarian

With school life disrupted and many children missing the company of their friends, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge will be even more vital as a way of helping parents and carers find fun, family-friendly activities, maintain literacy levels and create a safe space for children to connect with their peers.

We hope you all have a wonderful summer.