Children invited to join in the online Silly Squad fun at Slough Libraries and Culture
Slough Libraries and Culture are calling for children to sign up to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge 2020 and join the Silly Squad for a summer of fun.
The challenge is a national programme, delivered by The Reading Agency, in partnership with public libraries, publishers and schools. This year it has gone digital. Children age 4 and over are encouraged to keep reading throughout the summer by signing up online at sillysquad.org.uk and setting themselves a target number of books to enjoy, earning rewards along the way to help them achieve it. They can track their progress through the challenge, recording details of the books they have read via the website. Along the way, children will discover lots of awesome books to read, play games, earn points and unlock virtual badges and there’s a certificate to reward them on completion. This year, the challenge started in June and runs to 19 September.
Each year it has a different theme and this year it’s Silly Squad - celebrating light-hearted, funny books. Laura Ellen Anderson, the award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, has created bespoke illustrations for the Silly Squad of comical animal characters that children will get to know on their reading journey, like Brian the Pony and Izzie the Octopus. Children are encouraged to read library books. This year, books from home and school will count too. Slough Libraries offer a great range of children’s eBooks and audiobooks that can be downloaded via Borrowbox with your library membership.
This year, we are delighted to announce that the challenge in Slough will be supported by local Berkshire writers Coral Rumble www.coralrumble.co.uk Kate Poels www.katepoels.co.uk and Violet Lake www.misslake-poetryworkshop.com as Summer Reading Challenge Ambassadors, who will use their talents to encourage and inspire children to participate.
Alison Beer, Children, Young People and Outreach Manager for Slough Libraries and Culture said: “Silly Squad is a fun, free programme that encourages children to discover the joys and benefits of reading for pleasure. This year’s funny book theme is perfect to keep children happy all summer long and Slough Libraries have teamed up with Public Health Slough and the Slough Healthy Smiles team to promote key messages encouraging children to clean their teeth and show off their healthy smile. We’re delighted that the challenge is able to continue in a digital format this year, and excited to present an inspiring range of themed online activities to support it.”
Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency said: "We're hugely excited to share our new digital Summer Reading Challenge with families across the country this year. The new digital offering will ensure that families and libraries can still take part in the Challenge and help us realise our mission of tacking life's big challenges through the proven power of reading. We are working closely with partners to distribute physical reading materials to those who cannot access digital and working with our library partners to deliver a blended digital and physical model when they reopen. In these difficult times it's more important than ever that families find ways to have fun and be silly together, while ensuring that children receive the support they need to maintain and build their literacy skills and remain connected with their peers."
Families are invited to join in our online programme of events and get silly with Slough Libraries via our social media channels. There will be clubs, challenges and crafts along with plenty of inspiration to help children find their next great read, plus tips and advice for parents. Find out more about our online activities at www.slough.gov.uk/libraries You can also follow us on our social media pages to find out how to take part.
A recent survey commissioned by The Reading Agency showed that 45% of young people are reading more during lockdown, so why not turn this in to something even more exciting with the added addition of online fun and incentives.
Last year over 3600 children in Slough took part in The Summer Reading Challenge. It is the biggest children’s reading for pleasure programme in the UK. Will you be part of the challenge this year?
The challenge is a national programme, delivered by The Reading Agency, in partnership with public libraries, publishers and schools. This year it has gone digital. Children age 4 and over are encouraged to keep reading throughout the summer by signing up online at sillysquad.org.uk and setting themselves a target number of books to enjoy, earning rewards along the way to help them achieve it. They can track their progress through the challenge, recording details of the books they have read via the website. Along the way, children will discover lots of awesome books to read, play games, earn points and unlock virtual badges and there’s a certificate to reward them on completion. This year, the challenge started in June and runs to 19 September.
Each year it has a different theme and this year it’s Silly Squad - celebrating light-hearted, funny books. Laura Ellen Anderson, the award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, has created bespoke illustrations for the Silly Squad of comical animal characters that children will get to know on their reading journey, like Brian the Pony and Izzie the Octopus. Children are encouraged to read library books. This year, books from home and school will count too. Slough Libraries offer a great range of children’s eBooks and audiobooks that can be downloaded via Borrowbox with your library membership.
This year, we are delighted to announce that the challenge in Slough will be supported by local Berkshire writers Coral Rumble www.coralrumble.co.uk Kate Poels www.katepoels.co.uk and Violet Lake www.misslake-poetryworkshop.com as Summer Reading Challenge Ambassadors, who will use their talents to encourage and inspire children to participate.
Alison Beer, Children, Young People and Outreach Manager for Slough Libraries and Culture said: “Silly Squad is a fun, free programme that encourages children to discover the joys and benefits of reading for pleasure. This year’s funny book theme is perfect to keep children happy all summer long and Slough Libraries have teamed up with Public Health Slough and the Slough Healthy Smiles team to promote key messages encouraging children to clean their teeth and show off their healthy smile. We’re delighted that the challenge is able to continue in a digital format this year, and excited to present an inspiring range of themed online activities to support it.”
Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency said: "We're hugely excited to share our new digital Summer Reading Challenge with families across the country this year. The new digital offering will ensure that families and libraries can still take part in the Challenge and help us realise our mission of tacking life's big challenges through the proven power of reading. We are working closely with partners to distribute physical reading materials to those who cannot access digital and working with our library partners to deliver a blended digital and physical model when they reopen. In these difficult times it's more important than ever that families find ways to have fun and be silly together, while ensuring that children receive the support they need to maintain and build their literacy skills and remain connected with their peers."
Families are invited to join in our online programme of events and get silly with Slough Libraries via our social media channels. There will be clubs, challenges and crafts along with plenty of inspiration to help children find their next great read, plus tips and advice for parents. Find out more about our online activities at www.slough.gov.uk/libraries You can also follow us on our social media pages to find out how to take part.
A recent survey commissioned by The Reading Agency showed that 45% of young people are reading more during lockdown, so why not turn this in to something even more exciting with the added addition of online fun and incentives.
Last year over 3600 children in Slough took part in The Summer Reading Challenge. It is the biggest children’s reading for pleasure programme in the UK. Will you be part of the challenge this year?
