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Published 17th July 2025
We're ready for a summer of reading with the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, Story Garden. Our library staff and volunteers are looking forward to welcoming thousands of children into the library to take part. Over 8,000 children joined in 2024.
The Summer Reading Challenge asks 4-11 year olds to borrow and read any six library books over the summer. This annual challenge is produced by The Reading Agency and is delivered in partnership with libraries across the country. This year’s challenge Story Garden celebrates nature and the great outdoors.
Taking part in the Challenge is free – children just need to head to their local library to sign up. They’ll receive a sticker booklet to explore the Story Garden, where they can track the books they read. For every book read, children will gain a sticker to add to the Story Garden scene, and there’s a medal and certificate for every child who reads six books.
Children choose the books they want to read on their Challenge; stories, fact books, joke books, audio books – all reading counts!
How to take part at your local library
- Children sign up at the library to pick up their Story Garden sticker booklet to start their challenge.
- Borrow books and get reading! Children then choose the books they want to read, recording what they have read along the way.
- For every book read, children will collect stickers to complete their Story Garden scene.
- Every child who completes the challenge, by reading six library books, receives a medal and certificate.
Mini Challenge
For our youngest readers (aged 3 and under) there is a mini version of the challenge. Children collect stickers on a special collector card for the books they borrow.
Design Your Dream Treehouse Competition
Alongside the Story Garden challenge this year is a drawing competition, sponsored by our friends at arcpartnerhsip, who are supporting Inspire to encourage children to keep reading and get involved in library activities over the summer.
We're asking children aged 4 – 11 to get creative and design a dream treehouse that would be perfect for the garden. Children can win a prize bundle for them and books for their school. Closing date 31 August
“The Summer Reading Challenge is a great scheme to encourage to children to keep up the reading habit over the summer. We are delighted to be able to deliver it again this year from our libraries. We know from feedback we receive from children and families that the challenge can inspire and enhance a love of reading which can support children through their school years and beyond.”
“As a Nottinghamshire-based business working across the region, Arc Partnership is proud to work closely with Inspire to support initiatives like the Summer Reading Challenge, which provides unique benefits to the local community and opportunities across the region. The Summer Reading Challenge is an excellent initiative which, in a digital age, highlights the benefits of picking up a book and getting lost in a story. It encourages thousands of children each year to read more, develop literacy skills and have fun while doing so.”
