Summer Reading Challenge 2021…by Carole Billingham
So this year we delve whole heartedly into the 22nd year of the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge, ‘Wild World Heroes’, created in partnership with WWF, the world's leading independent conservation organisation, and illustrated by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Heath McKenzie. Wild World Heroes explores ways of helping to save the planet, with a focus on taking action for nature, and see six young residents of Wilderville, tackle real-world environmental issues, from plastic pollution and deforestation, to wildlife decline and nature loss. When you take part in the challenge, you become a Wild World Hero yourself and help solve some of these threats, learning about the importance of the environment while helping to restore nature levels in Wilderville.
The Summer Reading Challenge has come a long way from the very first one, but at the heart of each one over the 22 years, is the same message – it combines FREE access to books, to EVERYONE, along with fun, creative activities over the summer holidays. Throughout the challenge, library staff, and also for the last quite a few years, young volunteers were there to support all the children to join the challenge, and also help them to discover new authors and illustrators.
This year you can join the challenge at your local library, where you will receive a Wild World Heroes collector poster. Then over the summer holidays visit us three times, explore our wonderful children’s libraries and choose and read for yourself, or pre-order through ‘click and collect’, at least six of our brilliant books, in any format. Novels, fact books, picture books, graphic novels, joke books, eBooks and audiobooks all count towards completing the Challenge. You can collect incentives each time you came back to the library, and then, once you had completed the challenge, you will receive a certificate and a sticker medal. Or if you would prefer, you can join online at www.wildworldheroes.org.uk to read or listen to eBooks and audiobooks, free of charge through our online resources.
The Summer Reading Challenge is now the UK’s biggest annual reading promotion for children aged 4 to 11. I can remember being involved in organising the very first Summer Reading Challenge, ‘The Reading Safari’, way back in 1999. At the time we trialled it in just 3 or 4 Swansea Libraries, and each year, added another 2 or 3, until all libraries were taking part in it. To brighten up the old Swansea Central Library, in Alexander Road, I made animals and birds out of material and wool, with monkeys, birds and snakes hanging from the ceiling on vines and branches, while animals roamed along the walls of the children’s library.
After the first 5th or 6th year (I think), when all the libraries in Swansea were taking part, we realised how important and well-loved the summer reading challenge had become, and decided that we would celebrate how brilliant the children of Swansea were, by organising a presentation. Each library would choose a winner from all of the children that had completed the challenge in that library, and then we were thrilled that for the very first, and in fact for every year since, The Lord Mayor has presented each of the library winners, with a special certificate and goody bag. In more recent years, we also presented the volunteers with special thank you certificates as well.
Unfortunately last year, the 2020 Summer Reading Challenge, ‘Silly Squad’, was hit by the pandemic, and the Reading Agency very quickly had to move the whole challenge online, but we are hoping that slowly and surely the challenge will get back on its feet, and hopefully by next year, we will be back to some sort of normality, and we will be able to provide events, activities, have volunteers helping us, AND a Summer Reading Challenge Presentation once again.
Over the years I have enjoyed all of the challenges, but my favourite was ‘The Big Friendly Read’, based on the books written by the wonderful Roald Dahl, and it also gave me the chance to dress up as Willy Wonka, as well as handing out real chocolate Wonka Bars, with a special golden ticket, during the presentation.
For me libraries, books and reading have always been so important, and the challenge encourages children to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure over the long summer holidays. Each year they can join in the magic, become quest seekers, space chasers, animal agents, and heroes, as well as brightening up the dull, boring times over the summer.
When you open a book, you have got no idea what you will find inside, who you will meet, or where you will travel to. You can be transported back in time, or into the future, visit other lands or kingdoms, and talk to animals or mythical creatures. In opening that front cover, you fall under a magical spell, sometimes hoping that it will become a never-ending story.
“‘The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.’
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