My Summer Reading Challenge

For the past couple of summers, whilst travelling between Wales to see JJ and being at home, I've managed to volunteer at my local library, helping out with the summer reading challenge. This is a great, nation-wide scheme run by a charity called The Reading Agency and chances are it's started in your local library already (98% of UK libraries take part). It's a scheme aimed at kids (although anyone can take part). The challenge is to read six books from the library, earning stickers and little rewards along the way as they do. It's the biggest reading event for kids in libraries and IT IS FREE! FREE! FREE STUFF FOR YOUR CHILDREN! SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO THAT IS FREE!

FREE THINGS AHMAGERD!

I think I've made my point...

When the kids sign up they get a little pack, with a poster and other goodies to help them track their progress. If they managed to read all six books, they get a medal and certificate and some libraries have a little ceremony to present them. There's always a theme - last years was 'Creepy House' - a sort of haunted house theme. The year before that it was 'Story Lab'. This years is 'Mythical Maze'. I think the 2014 theme is fab. It's a theme that kids of all ages can appreciate, as well as being a great theme to attract boys and girls.

Illustrations this year by Sarah McIntyre

There's lots for the kids to do on the website too. They can find new books to read, recommended by other children, play games and log their progress online if they want to (although this isn't necessary to keep track of your progress, it's something older children might like to do anyway).

Most libraries look for volunteers to help manage and run the challenge, so if you fancy popping to your library a couple of days per week, encouraging kids to read and basically helping to keep things flowing smoother than Michael Bublé chatting up your mum, go forth, and question those nice librarians and see if you can be of assistance. Due to house hunting and lots of uncertainties about my location this summer, I haven't volunteered. Hopefully I will make it next year! However, I've decided to do my own reading challenge. Here's my six books to read this summer:

This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Game of Thrones by George R R Martin
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

A couple were given to me as gifts, a couple I found lurking in my room (I think one more read and the copy of Gone with the Wind might fall apart. I have no idea where it came from), and a couple I feel like it's about time I read. I've finished This Book is Overdue, The Graveyard Book and I am currently battling through the thousands of pages that make up Gone with the Wind. Hopefully by the end of August I will have finished the lot and I can buy myself a medal. Sadly I get no poster or stickers along my summer reading challenge journey. If anyone wishes to donate stickers, do message.

It's not too late to sign up your kids/siblings/ChildrenYouChildMind/nieces/nephews/grandkids to the Summer Reading Challenge. So go do it! It doesn't matter if they don't finish, and they'll be proud of themselves if they do! For very young children, books you read to them/with them count too!

See the summer reading challenge on Facebook and use #summerreadingchallenge on Twitter.

For now, I've got to keep going with Gone with the Wind. Apart from struggling with the horrendous racism, I'm wondering if Scarlett O'Hara will ever, during the course of this book, get her head out of her own bum. Only 700 pages to go!!

Over and out.