Reading challenges

Summer Reading Challenge

The Reading Agency, Summer Reading Challenge logo.

Dates: Saturday, 6 July 2024–Saturday, 14 September 2024
Suitable for: the Summer Reading Challenge is aimed at 4–11 year olds.

The Summer Reading Challenge 2024 is called Marvellous Makers and will celebrate the creative arts, inspiring children to express themselves in creative ways, tap into a world of imagination and storytelling, and – of course – to read.

Children will join the Marvellous Makers team as they search for the missing objects to complete their creations. They’ll meet 1 or 2 cheeky animals along the way, and might just discover where all those missing objects have gone…

The Summer Reading Challenge is presented by The Reading Agency and delivered by libraries across the country.

Take part

To take part in the Summer Reading Challenge:

  1. Your child needs to be a library member. If they're not, see how to join the library
  2. Your child can sign up for the challenge at any library in the borough. Find your local library
  3. You'll get a collector's folder to keep track of their reading. Add the books your child reads over the summer to the collector's folder. They need to read at least 6 books to complete the challenge.
  4. When they complete the challenge, come back to the library with the collector's folder. Your child will earn a certificate and we'll enter them into a prize draw.

Your child can also take part in the challenge online, where they can track their progress and earn rewards over several challenges.

Join the Summer Reading Challenge online

What to read for the challenge

Your child can read anything they'd like – all books count towards the goal. This includes comics, poems, audiobooks and picture books. You don't need to buy new books for the challenge either. You can borrow from the library or even re-read a book.

You may like to:

Ideas, games, competitions and more

The Summer Reading Challenge website has fantastic reading ideas, fun games and exciting competitions. You can also keep up to date with all the latest Summer Reading Challenge news.

Events and activities

Summer Reading Challenge events and activities will take place throughout the summer holidays.

You can find out about these events on: