Summer Reading Challenge

Summer Reading Challenge

A photo of two young children making a tower out of books.

What is the Summer Reading Challenge?

1 in 4 children cannot read well by the age of 11. This hugely limits their life choices and skills. We’re on a mission to change this.  

The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for a great start to the new term in the autumn. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy. Children can sign up at their local library or online, and it’s FREE to take part.

This year’s Challenge is called Marvellous Makers and it’s all about creativity! From dance to drawing, junk modelling to music, there’s something for everyone. This year’s theme has been developed in partnership with a leading arts charity, Create.  

The Challenge starts on Saturday 22 June in Scotland and online, and on Saturday 6 July in England and Wales. 

Head to website

Official Book Collection 2024: Marvellous Makers!

The Secret Hen House Theatre bookcover
Matisse's Magical Trail bookcover
Creative bookcover
Pop Art bookcover
Recycle and Remake: Creative Projects for Eco Kids bookcover
Fantastically Great Women Artists and Their Stories bookcover
New Girl, The bookcover
Music and How it Works: The Complete Guide for Kids bookcover
Rapping Princess bookcover
Maddy Yip's Guide to Life: A laugh-out-loud illustrated story! bookcover
My Beautiful Voice bookcover
Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom: Book 1 bookcover
Patrick's Polka-Dot Tights bookcover
Juniper Mae: Knight of Tykotech City bookcover
Big Dance bookcover
Grimwood: Laugh your head off with the funniest new series of the year bookcover
Ballet Bunnies: Trixie is Missing bookcover
Monster Max and the Marmalade Ghost bookcover
Little Gems – Elisabeth and the Box of Colours bookcover
The Comet bookcover
Clementine Florentine bookcover
The Wondrous Prune bookcover
I Am Nefertiti bookcover
Trixie Pickle Art Avenger bookcover
Call Me Lion bookcover
The Gecko and the Echo bookcover
The Great Paint bookcover
Jacob's Music bookcover
Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn: A beginner reader book for children. bookcover
The Wildstorm Curse bookcover
Starlet Rivals bookcover
Shu Lin's Grandpa bookcover
How to Make a Story bookcover
The Artist bookcover
Rani Reports: on The Missing Millions bookcover
Dadaji's Paintbrush bookcover
The Spectaculars: The Four Curses bookcover
Heroes of the Pirate Ship: Magic Faces #1 bookcover
Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog bookcover
Poetry Prompts: All sorts of ways to start a poem from Joseph Coelho bookcover
The Dot bookcover
Bookworms bookcover
Mildred the Gallery Cat bookcover
The Piano at the Station bookcover
Nina Peanut bookcover
Fox & Son Tailers bookcover
Good Night My Sweet Island bookcover
April's Garden bookcover
Songs in the Shade of the Cashew and Coconut Trees: From West Africa to the Caribbean (Book 1) bookcover
I am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere bookcover
A Year of Black Joy: 52 Black Voices Share Their Life Passions bookcover
The Book That No One Wanted to Read bookcover
Ruby's Repair Cafe bookcover
I Love Books bookcover
Pablo and Splash: the hilarious kids' graphic novel bookcover
Frida the Rock-and-Roll Moth: A story about finding your confidence bookcover
Sounds Good!: Discover 50 Instruments bookcover
The Girl and the Mermaid bookcover
This Book Will Make You An Artist bookcover
Marvin and the Book of Magic bookcover
Little House bookcover
All the Wonderful Ways to Read bookcover
Dreamweavers: Roar of the Hungry Beast bookcover
How I Feel: 40 wellbeing activities for kids bookcover
Halima, Superhero Princess bookcover
Red Sky at Night; Poet's Delight bookcover
A Midsummer Night's Drama: A book at bedtime for little bards! bookcover
The Library Mouse bookcover
View full list
More lists

Who is it for?

The Summer Reading Challenge is aimed at children from 4-11 years old. It supports this age group and their families by:  

  • Preparing children to get back to the classroom in the autumn.  
  • Supporting the move into a new year group or key stage.  
  • Boosting children’s confidence and self-esteem by supporting independent reading. 
  • Providing free access to books and fun family activities during the summer.
Photo of young girl kicking a football on a football pitch while wearing school uniform. There are other school children behind her.

Our research

The Summer Reading Challenge is the UK’s biggest reading for pleasure programme for children, and helps get approximately 700,000 children into libraries each year.

In 2023, 75% of children who took part said they now enjoy reading more.

More Research
Graphic with stack of books

During the 2023 Challenge, over 14 million books, including eBooks and audio titles, were read and issued through libraries

Four icons of people. One of them is white, while the other three are navy.

1 in 4 children don’t reach the expected level of reading by the age of 11

A photo of two children taking out some books from the library.

Get Involved

In the library 

Visit your local library and sign up. Your child will set a reading goal, choose anything they like to read, and collect special stickers and rewards for their reading. Libraries offer lots of free activities and events throughout the summer.

Online 

Sign up on the official Challenge website to take part online. Children can set a reading goal and get tips for accessing books for free at home. As they read books, they’ll unlock digital rewards, including a printable certificate.  

Email us to find out how your library could deliver the Summer Reading Challenge. 

Contact Us

Volunteering

Help us spread the joy of reading! Contact your local library directly to ask about opportunities to support with this year’s Challenge.

Volunteers at the library can get involved with things like delivering activities for children and families, handing out prizes, and talking to children about their reading.

Please note opportunities and dates vary between libraries.

Find your local library

Are you working towards your DofE Award?

Good news: we’re a DofE Approved Activity Provider, so your Summer Reading Challenge volunteering counts towards the volunteering section of your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award!

Graphic with Duke of Edinburgh logo and text: Approved Activity Provider

Resources

Marvellous Makers Digital participation updates

Download the digital participation data for your library authority for Marvellous Makers, Summer Reading Challenge 2024 Please read the guidance notes for more information on…

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Colouring sheets for I LOVE BOOKS

I LOVE BOOKS by Mariajo Ilustrajo is part of the Summer Reading Challenge 2024 Book Collection. *Winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration 2023*…

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