A Marvellous Summer of Reading in Nottinghamshire Libraries

Inspire is celebrating a successful Summer Reading Challenge in its libraries.

A total of 10,696 children took part in the annual challenge that helps encourage children to keep up the reading habit over the long summer break, with almost 40,000 books being read as part of the challenge in Nottinghamshire.  56% of children successfully completed the challenge to read six library books of their choice during the holiday. 

Children and adults have loved the Roald Dahl theme of the challenge. 

This year The Big Friendly Read, marked the100 year anniversary of the popular author’s birth.  The challenge introduced new readers to the ever popular author and parents and carers have enjoyed sharing their favourite Roald Dahl books with their children.  

The Summer Reading Challenge is produced by The Reading Agency and runs in libraries all over the country.  

Inspire marked the success of this year’s challenge on Sunday 16 October at Mansfield Central Library.  Children from around the county were invited to represent their library at the event and were presented with a certificate from Councillor Pauline Allan, vice Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Culture Committee.

The event was also an opportunity to recognise the 74 Summer Reading Challenge volunteers who supported the challenge in libraries listening to children talk about books.   The volunteers, aged from 14 upwards gave 1,282 hours over the 6-week holiday.

Author Andy Seed 2015 winner of the Blue Peter Book Award also appeared at the event. 

hem to keep reading during the summer break”.

As part of the evaluation INSPIRE had lots of positive comments from parents and carers:

“I want to read every single book in the world.”  (Girl aged 7, Newark)

“Every time I come to the library it puts a smile to my face. Thank you!”  (Girl aged 8, Ruddington)

“Her favourite was Charlie and chocolate factory. This was favourite too when I was little J” (Parent of  7 year old Sutton-on-Trent)

“This challenge has got my girls really excited about reading, especially my 6 year old who previously was a reluctant reader!”   (Parent of children aged 6 & 7, Beeston)

“I’m a teacher and the reading challenge really inspires and motivates the children to read. The themes and prizes are excellent!”  (Parent of child aged 5, Carlton)

“This was based on the best Childrens Writer ever it was (bfg word) bestabulous!”  (Girl aged 7 ¾, Retford)

“Expanded my child’s imagination. I have loved sharing the books of my childhood with my own child”.  (Parent of 4-year old, Worksop)

There were a number of highlights during this year’s challenge.

John Kirk, storyteller treated families to a hilarious performance of Roald Dahl’s The Twits at West Bridgford and Arnold Libraries.   Twisted fairytales were enjoyed in family theatre performances at Hucknall, Eastwood, Retford and Worksop when poet Joseph Coelho performed in Half Moon’s Fairytales Gone Bad shows. 

And libraries across the county were inspired by Dahl’s fantastic characters creating Beastly Beards (inspired by The Twits), Concertina Crocodile bookmarks, Fabulous Fox masks and much more.  Over 5,000 children attended Summer Reading Challenge activities hosted in the county’s libraries over the summer.