Children's Area
Marvellous Makers illustrations by Natelle Quek and © The Reading Agency 2024
Marvellous Makers!
We are delighted to announce the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge: Marvellous Makers! produced by The Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with libraries.
Developed in partnership with Create, a leading charity bringing the creative arts to those who need it most, this year’s Challenge aims to fire up children’s imaginations and unleash storytelling and creativity through the power of reading.
You can find out about this year’s theme and why the Challenge is important at The Reading Agency: Marvellous Makers Summer Reading Challenge celebrates creativity
Marvellous Makers illustrations by Natelle Quek and © The Reading Agency 2024 How to take part
- You will need your library card and PIN (Forgot your PIN? Reset your PIN here)
- If you don’t have a library card you can join the library online or in your library.
- Sign up to the Challenge from 6th July onwards. For children under 4 we have the Pre-school Challenge, where you can collect stickers for each book shared and a special medal sticker at the end.
- Visit your library to collect a reward (we’ll ask to see your event sign up ticket)
- Borrow six library books to complete the Challenge. This can include eBooks, eAudiobooks and books on CD
- As you bring your books back let us know you’re doing the Challenge so we can give you your prizes!
- See our FAQs below for more information or contact us
Summer Reading Challenge 2024
for children aged 4 - 11
Starts: Saturday 6 July 2024
Ends: Saturday 7 September 2024
- Register for this event - find your library in the list below here
- Visit your library to collect your challenge card (we’ll ask to see your event sign up ticket)
- Borrow six library books to complete the Challenge. This can include e-books, e-audio books and books on CD
- As you bring back your books let us know you’re doing the Challenge so we can give you your stickers! After 6 books your child will be presented your medal and certificate
Start your registration by clicking on the library where you want to pick up your stickers!
Summer Reading Challenge 2024
for children under 4 years olds
Join the Summer Reading Challenge for children under 4 years of age as rewards in the main Challenge are not suitable for very young children.
Starts: Saturday 6 July 2024
Ends: Saturday 7 September 2024
- Register for this event
- Visit your library to collect your challenge card (we’ll ask to see your event sign up ticket)
- Borrow six library books to complete the Challenge. This can include e-books, e-audio books and books on CD
- As you bring back your child’s books let us know you’re doing the Challenge so we can give you your stickers! After 6 books your child will be presented with a medal sticker
Start your registration by clicking on the library where you want to pick up your stickers!
- Can I join two children to Summer Reading Challenge using one library card?
No. Each child must have their own library card and PIN to sign up to the Challenge so that we know how many children take part. Your child can join online and we will post their card to you, or you can join them in the library. - Can I use my adult membership card to sign my child up to Summer Reading Challenge?
No. your child will need their own library account to take part. Remember, there are no overdue charges for children under 16, so it’s worth them having their own membership! Your child can join online, or you can join them in the library. - I don’t know my child’s PIN
You can reset your child’s PIN online or by asking in the library. - My child can’t read yet, can they still do the Challenge?
Yes! They can take part by sharing books with you or a friend, or by listening to CD audio books or e-audio books. You can also borrow multisensory stories from our Bag Books Collection if your child has learning disabilities. You can find out more about these here - Why do you want to know what school my child goes to?
We offer children the chance to have their certificate presented in school if they complete the Challenge so we need to know which school to send it to. Once we have sent out all the certificates we delete this information. We also visit as many schools as we can to tell children about the Challenge so it’s useful for us to know how many children from each school take part. You do not have to give us this information if you prefer not to. - My child is under 4. Can they sign up for the Challenge? They love books!
As some of the prizes for the Challenge aren’t suitable for children under 4, we have the Pre-School Challenge for them to do instead. Sign them up and we will give you a collector’s card for stickers. When you’ve shared 6 books they will get a special medal sticker! - How do I register my child as a finisher when they’ve read their 6 books?
Log into your child’s library account with their card number and PIN. Click on ‘personal details’ and scroll until you see Summer Reading Challenge 2024. Enter the date your child completed and the name of their school in September. Tick the ‘certificate in school’ box if they want their certificate presented in school. Don’t forget to visit the library to get their medal!
My Library
Join our team of Summer Reading Challenge volunteers!
If you are aged 13 or older, have some spare time and love talking about reading and sharing books with children, why not sign up to be one of our summer Reading Challenge volunteers?
It’s a great way to support your local community and develop new skills and experiences.
Digital Library
Marvellous Makers illustrations by Natelle Quek and © The Reading Agency 2024
Children can read any library book they want, including: eBooks; eAudiobooks; and eMagazines. A shared story with a friend or family member also counts towards the challenge.
Explore our children digital collection
eBooks and eAudiobooks from Libby
Origami Fun
Find out how to make your very own origami rocket, finger puppets, and jumping frog!
You can download instructions or watch step by step videos. Visit Summer Reading Challenge for more fun things to do, including quizzes, games author information and book recommendations.
Teacher's Reading Challenge
Run by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Open University, the Teachers' Reading Challenge is an opportunity for teachers to expand their knowledge of contemporary children's books.