The Summer Reading Challenge celebrates 25 years of encouraging young readers
This year, we’re celebrating the remarkable success of our cross-authority Summer Reading Challenge model and the 25th anniversary of the UK’s biggest children’s reading programme. This milestone year has seen unprecedented engagement and impact, with over half a million joiners in these cross-authority areas alone over the past three years.
For a quarter of a century, in partnership with public libraries, the Summer Reading Challenge has been igniting a passion for reading in children across the nation. With yearly themes spanning from the inaugural year’s ‘The Reading Safari’ to 2024’s ‘Marvellous Makers,’ the Challenge, which encourages children to log their reading and earn rewards over the summer holiday, has created 15,649,232 reading journeys between 1999 – 2023.
Over the past three years, we have collaborated with library partners to pioneer a new delivery model based on cross-authority partnerships. This piloted approach involved library services working strategically with other relevant areas of the local authority, such as public health services and education or children’s services, to extend the reach and impact of the Challenge in areas of disadvantage or low literacy.
Over the three years of the cross-authority pilot:
- 509,732 Challenge sign-ups were in pilot areas. This represents approximately one-third of all Challenge participants, despite pilot areas only comprising about one-fifth of participating library authorities.
- 153,296 children became new library members in pilot authorities.
- 6,602,037 books, eBooks, and audiobooks issued through libraries in pilot areas.
In 2023 alone, pilot areas saw a 7% increase in starters compared to 2019, while new library memberships surged by an impressive 69%.
The pilot’s success in reaching underserved communities is evident:
- 68% of schools agreed the pilot reached pupils living with disadvantage.
- 60% noted engagement from pupils who had not participated before.
- The gender gap in participation narrowed, with 46% boys and 53% girls taking part in pilot areas.
Arts Council England-funded research revealed statistically significant benefits for Challenge participants, including children reading more over the summer, enjoying reading more and feeling more confident in doing so. Children also improved their wellbeing, feeling ‘braver’, calmer and better able to manage negative emotions. Libraries raised their profile across the local authority, highlighting their value in educational and mental health support.
“As The Reading Agency and our brilliant library partners celebrate 25 years of the Summer Reading Challenge and the resounding success of our cross-authority model, The Reading Agency remains committed to inspiring the next generation of readers. We look forward to building on this momentum, continuing to innovate, and reaching even more young minds in the years to come.”
Karen Napier, CEO, The Reading Agency
“I just remember we always looked forward to it. I have lovely memories of the quiet coolness of the library on hot summer’s day, the excitement of finding a new book, and our lovely librarian congratulating me with each book I read. It celebrated me doing my favourite thing and helped me feel included and seen.”
Melissa, an English teacher who took part in the Challenge in 1999
“I didn’t really like books before… But after the Summer Reading Challenge, I like fiction, and I like reading lots of different books.”
Child participant
