Reading Ahead is the new name for the Six Book Challenge.

Nabeeda Bakali is a 17 year-old student at King Edward VI College in Nuneaton. Whilst studying for her A/S Levels in Psychology, Sociology, Business, ICT and Critical Thinking she felt like she had no time for reading; something she had always enjoyed. She saw an advert for the Six Book Challenge in her college library decided to sign up. Here she tells us how doing the Challenge motivated her to keep reading.

With all the reading I'd been doing for coursework and exams, I'd found I'd stopped reading books for pleasure. I started the Challenge in November but had exams across December and January so I got a bit de-motivated because I had to prioritise revising. But I really wanted to finish the Challenge, and get back into reading for pleasure, so I read my final two books and finished in May. Having been set the Challenge of reading six books did spur me on.

I used to be into teenage fiction, like the Twilight books, but now I'm getting more into romantic comedies. Recently I've really enjoyed reading books by Jane Costello. Her books are just what I was looking for - they took me out of the stress of studying and exams and into an imaginary world where you're thinking about the lives of the characters. You get hooked on wanting to find out what happens next - I finished the first book I read by her in just two days!

I mostly read at home, at night, because I find it does help me relax and get to sleep. But it also inspires me - I write poems and stories as a hobby, and reading gives me ideas for them. I think it's important for everyone to read for pleasure - reading can take you into new worlds to see new perspectives, and make you a more knowing and open-minded person.

Nabeeda's tips for other Six Book Challenge completers

• Pick a book on a subject you're interested in, particularly for the first book you read, as it will help you to stick with it and stay motivated. Read the blurb on the back of the book and read the first page - if you are still interested then go for it, but if not, pick another book.

• Don't make your first book a big fat, 400-page one - after not having read for pleasure for a while I picking up Pride and Prejudice as my first book for the Six Book Challenge; I realised it was too long and that I wasn't going to finish it, so I chose another book instead.

• I think it could also be really helpful to do the Challenge as part of a group, so that you can discuss the books you're reading. It's also a really good way to make new friends and get to know people.

If you want to enter new worlds, sign up for reading with the Six Book Challenge!

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