Children's Summer Reading Challenge
The Summer Reading Challenge, designed each year by The Reading Agency, encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy as long as it is a book borrowed from the library. E-books and e-audio also count as long as they are borrowed through BorrowBox
The main challenge asks primary aged children and older to read or listen to library books over the summer.
Throughout their reading they receive a special collector's folder and stickers.
If they read 6 books, they get a certificate and an eco-friendly wooden medal. If they read 8 books they receive a limited edition book bag.
There is also a mini challenge for preschool children who receive their own special stickers, a certificate and a gold sticker medal.
Summer Reading Challenge 2025
This year's Summer Reading Challenge is "Story Garden", where all kinds of enchanting worlds, animals, outdoor adventures, and fascinating facts await children.
Sign up for free from Saturday 12 July; and from Monday 21 July visit your library to share what you've been reading with our library volunteers and staff.
Find out the Summer Readng Challenge details and dates at your local library
Although it is free to join the Summer Reading Challenge, children need to have their own library card.
It's easy to join the library. Children can borrow up to 14 books to read and for the Summer Reading Challenge they can choose 3 books per visit to talk about.
Children can talk with our staff and volunteers or be creative by making something or drawing a picture inspired by their chosen book.
The Reading Agency also runs an online Summer Reading Challenge. This is separate to the challenge run by our libraries. Medals, bags, certificates, folders and stickers are only available for those taking part in person at our libraries – while stocks last.
We are also in partnership with Thurrock Garden Centre in South Ockendon this year who have gifted packs of sunflower seeds for families taking part in Summer Reading Challenge Story Garden events in libraries. These are available while stocks last.
For more information, go to the Summer Reading Challenge.
Thank you also to our young adult volunteers who are volunteering with us during the summer, supporting staff in running the Summer Reading Challenge in libraries across Thurrock.
Summer Reading Challenge School Shield
Every primary school in Thurrock has the chance to be in with a chance to win the special Summer Reading Challenge shield which will have their school name engraved upon it and can be kept for a year until the following July. The shield is awarded to the school with the most completers - that is those children who have read 6 books or more and completed the challenge. The results are announced in the autumn.