Record numbers as youngsters Complete the Summer Reading Challenge

A record number of youngsters across of area have successfully completed this years “Summer Reading Challenge” as libraries across the district, invited youngsters across the district to read six books in as many weeks across the summer holidays.

Data collected by Inspire Culture who run our local libraries estimates that over 39,500 books were read by the 10,696 youngsters who took part in the challenge.

Of our Local libraries, it was Ashfield’s Libraries who had the most success, with 62% of youngsters who started the challenge, completing the required six books.

The theme for this year’s Challenge was Roald Dahl and Caroyln Gallagher, the Principal Librarian for Children & Young Families at Inspire Culture, said the reading is vital for youngsters development

“I think stories and important and I think reading is such a vital skill for life. Children have lots of competing demands for their time, but things like tablets and computers still require reading.”

“It is a way of escapism, it helps fuel children’s imagination and the benefits of reading expand way beyond reading.  For example one of things that happens is sometimes parents and careers who bring in their children and hear their child talking about the book are sometimes taken aback by what the child has taken from it” 

To hear more about this year’s Summer Reading Challenge – Click HERE to listen to News In Focus “The Big Friendly Read” 

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