02 July 2018

Make sure you bookmark the Aberdeenshire Summer Reading Challenge

Creative children are being challenged to design a bookmark demonstrating their love of reading.

This year, the highly successful Aberdeenshire Summer Reading Challenge began on Thursday, June 28. The official launch took place on Friday, June 29, at Banff Library. It was launched this year by award-winning children’s author Chae Strathie, whose books include Dear Dinosaur, Gorilla Loves Vanilla, The Loon on the Moon, and Jumblebum. The challenge runs until Saturday, August 25.

Last year, more than 7,000 children signed up for the challenge, which is organised by library staff within Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services directorate and encourages youngsters to read as many books as they can, with a creative competition running alongside.

Each child taking part receives a themed card to keep track of the books they have read, collecting a sticker for each one and receiving a book prize after reading six books or more. A book voucher will also be awarded to the “Star Reader” from each library in Aberdeenshire. The lucky child will be chosen by library staff who have shown the most progress with their reading during the challenge.

For this year’s creative competition, children are invited to design a bookmark with the theme of the love of reading. They are being encouraged to be as creative as possible.

Prizes for the creative competition will be awarded to three age groups – 0-4, 5-8 and 9+ years. Three entries will be chosen from each branch library with an overall Aberdeenshire winner and two runners-up chosen from those local library entries.

All Star Readers and the top three winners of the creative competition will be invited to a special prize giving event taking place on Saturday, October 6 in the run-up to National Libraries Week.

Cllr Anne Stirling, Aberdeenshire Council’s Communities Committee chair, said: “There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book. Reading for pleasure can bring a lifetime of happiness, so I hope that all the children and young people who take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge become lifelong avid readers.”

Committee vice chair, Cllr Iris Walker, said: “I am really looking forward to seeing the creative bookmarks the children design. I would like to wish all of the children taking part the best of luck with completing the challenge.”  

For more information about this year’s Summer Reading Challenge please visit http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/libraries/young/summer-reading-challenge.