North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has welcomed news that the Summer Reading Challenge will be going ahead – despite disruption to public libraries during the COVID outbreak.
The Summer Reading Challenge is designed to encourage all primary-age children to use the school holidays to read for fun. It is a unique partnership between The Reading Agency and public libraries across the UK.
The Challenge builds confidence and independent reading, while helping to prevent the dip in children’s reading levels during the long summer break from school.
The COVID outbreak has meant that Libraries across the UK have had to be closed for the last few months – so this year’s Challenge will use a new digital format. On the Summer Reading Challenge website there will be a range of games, quizzes, downloadable activities to engage children and encourage them to read. Swindon Libraries also has a range of e-lending and e-resources available while libraries are closed.
Justin, former Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Libraries, has been closely involved with the Summer Reading Challenge for a number of years, launching the event in Parliament the previous five years.
This year’s challenge will celebrate funny books, happiness and laughter, led by the Silly Squad – an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into all sorts of funny books
Justin Tomlinson said: “Reading is incredibly important to a child’s development, and I am very supportive of any initiative that gets children reading. Thousands of children in Swindon take on the Summer Reading Challenge every year, and I hope that children will be just as enthusiastic with the new digital format.”
