The Summer Reading Challenge, designed each year by The Reading Agency, encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy as long as it is a book borrowed from the library. E-books and e-audio also count as long as they are borrowed through BorrowBox
The main challenge asks primary aged children and older to read or listen to library books over the summer.
Throughout their reading they receive a special collector's folder and stickers.
If they read 6 books, they get a certificate and an eco-friendly wooden medal. If they read 8 books they receive a limited edition book bag.
There is also a mini challenge for preschool children who receive their own special stickers, a certificate and a gold sticker medal.
Summer Reading Challenge 2025
This year's Summer Reading Challenge "Story Garden" has now finished. In 2025, 2340 children joined and 1457 children completed it by reading 6 or more books. There was a 62% completion rate. Children who read 6 books or more received their certificate and medal at the time of completion. Thank you for for all those who took part and thank you to to the young adult volunteers who supported us this year. We are aready planning for Summer 2026!
Summer Reading Challenge School Shield 2025-2026
Every primary school in Thurrock has the chance to be in with a chance to win the special Summer Reading Challenge shield which will have their school name engraved upon it and can be kept for a year until the following July. The shield is awarded to the school with the most completers - that is those children who have read 6 books or more and completed the challenge. Congratulations to Kenningtons Primary Academy School in Aveley who won it this year.
