Cornwall Library launches this year's Summer Reading Challenge

Cornwall Library Service has launched the 2010 Summer Reading Challenge for children.

Now in its 12th year, this national reading initiative for children aged up to 11 is designed to encourage them to keep reading throughout the long summer holidays.

This year the theme is The Space Hop, an intergalactic adventure. 2009 saw the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing which sparked huge interest in space and so this year’s Summer Reading Challenge will invite young readers to read books with a space theme.

The stages of the challenge will be Blast Off, Space Chase and Lunar Landing with exciting stickers to collect along the way.

The Space Hop website will be full of interactive games and quizzes to keep young readers interested along with blogs from favourite authors and reading advice from library staff nationwide.

The Summer Reading Challenge will be on offer at all of Cornwall’s libraries, including Bude, and the challenge to the children is simple: read six or more books of their choice during the summer holidays and collect rewards plus a certificate and medal for every child who completes the Challenge.

Children can sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge at their local library from today and all materials are completely free and every child will receive a foldout poster and membership card.

The Summer Reading Challenge is designed for children of all ages and reading abilities. They can read any books they like - fact books, stories, joke books, picture books - it's up to them. Audio books count too, as long as they're borrowed from the library.