23 June 2017

Be drawn into a good book with the Aberdeenshire Summer Reading Challenge

A hugely successful children’s reading challenge in Aberdeenshire was launched yesterday, giving young people across the area the chance to be drawn into a good book over the summer.

The theme of this year’s Aberdeenshire’s Summer Reading Challenge, which runs until Saturday, August 26, is ‘Be Drawn into a Good Book’ with a focus on books and their illustrations.

The challenge was launched at Aberchirder Primary School with the help of vibrant writing duo and creators of the best-selling children’s series Badger the Mystical Mutt, McNicol & Jackson.

Last year, 7,566 children signed up to the challenge, which is organised by library staff within Aberdeenshire Council’s Education & Children’s Services and which encourages them 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.

For this year’s creative competition, children are invited to design a new book cover or redesign a book cover of their choice.

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

All branch winners will be invited to special prize-giving events taking place across Aberdeenshire on Saturday, October 7 in the run-up to National Libraries Week.

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education & Children’s Services Committee, Councillor Gillian Owen, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge gets bigger and better every single year and we’re expecting a record number of participants in 2017.

“The challenge is designed to make sure children of all reading abilities can take part by choosing the books they want to read, downloading and reading e-books or listening to talking books.

“This year’s theme combines the way both words and illustrations spark our imaginations so choose a book of your choice and get started!”

Vice-chair of the committee, Cllr Mark Findlater, said: “The creative competition running alongside is open to children regardless of whether they are taking part in the reading challenge, they can draw, paint or do a collage – be as creative as you like!

“This year star readers chosen from each library network will also be awarded a book voucher based on how well they have progressed with their reading during the challenge.

“Good luck and have fun to everyone who takes part!”

More information on this year’s Summer Reading Challenge is available via http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/libraries/young/summer-reading-challenge/