Research from The Reading Agency shows that children who read six books across the summer holidays would maintain their reading standard while those that don’t would see a dip in reading ability.
That is why County Durham Libraries are supporting The Big Friendly Read – this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.
Held in collaboration with The Roald Dahl Literary Estate, the challenge will help to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Featuring some of Roald Dahl’s best-loved characters and the amazing artwork of his principal illustrator Sir Quentin Blake, The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge will encourage reading on a (Big Friendly) Giant scale!
Anne Davison, Growing and Learning manager with Durham County Council said: “We are backing The Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge by rolling it out in all our libraries.
“Reading is a life-long pleasure so it’s important to build good learning habits with younger readers early in their lives.”
All the books chosen celebrate friendship, mischief and invention – the most common themes explored in Dahl’s much loved books and represented by characters such as Willy Wonka, Matilda, The Twits and of course The BFG.
Children can take books from their local library and note their progress on the website at http://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/.
If they complete by September 1, they will be entered into a competition to win an Amazon Kindle.