This year’s Summer Reading Challenge launches in Northumberland’s Libraries this weekend. 

 

The annual challenge coordinated nationally by The Reading Agency launches on Sat, July 10 and is aimed at encouraging reading for pleasure for children aged 4 to 11 over the summer holidays. 

 

Teaming up with WWF for 2021, this year’s theme is Wild World Heroes which inspires children to explore ways of helping to save the planet.  

 

Once signed up to the challenge children will receive a free pack from their library or online and will join six fictional “wild heroes” who will teach them about the importance of the environment whilst helping to restore nature levels in the neighbourhood of 'Wilderville'. With ideas from WWF, the Challenge focuses on action for nature and tackling real-world environmental issues, from plastic pollution and deforestation to wildlife decline and nature loss. 

 

A ‘Welcome to Wilderville: Meet the Heroes’ digital campaign will run over summer with a different weekly habitat theme, led by the Wild World Heroes, including Woodland, River, Farm, Town, Home/School and the Beach. The characters and landscape are illustrated by award-winning children's author and illustrator Heath McKenzie. 

 

Northumberland Libraries will be offering a range of events and activities to tie in with the Challenge including cartoon workshops with the ever-popular Liz Million at Prudhoe and Morpeth Libraries, Shadow Puppets with Robin Simpson at Alnwick Library, and Books & Art Workshops at Amble, Ponteland and Hexham Libraries. All events are FREE but must be booked in advance on www.eventbrite.co.uk 

 

Libraries will also be working with local partners Leading Link and Northumberland Communities Together to reach out to hundreds of children attending summer provision around the county who might not otherwise benefit from taking part in the Challenge. 

 

To complete the Challenge all your child needs to do is visit a library at least three times over the school holidays and read at least six books. Every child who completes the Challenge will be awarded a medal and a special certificate and will be entered into a prize draw to win an amazing wildlife adventure – a Grey Seal Cruise with Billy Shiel’s Boat Trips – and the family can come along too!    

 

Don’t worry if you can’t visit the library as e-Books and e-Audiobooks also count so speak to your local library for advice on how to complete the Challenge digitally.  

 

Cllr Jeff Watson Cabinet Member for Libraries at Northumberland County Council said: “We hope that lots of families in Northumberland will take part in the Wild World Heroes Summer Reading Challenge this year. Research has shown that literacy levels in young children have fallen during the pandemic and taking part in the challenge is a great way to encourage children to enjoy reading and be ready to return to school better prepared in September.” 

 

To find out more go to www.mylibrary.co.uk and to find out more about the Wild World Heroes Book Collection click here.