Clare County Library launches Space Hop - this year’s Summer Reading Challenge

All fifteen branches of Clare County Library are getting ready to launch children into orbit for an intergalactic adventure that will keep them reading throughout the school summer holidays - with the 2010 Summer Reading Challenge. And it’s all free fun, which is good news for parents! The Summer Reading Challenge is just one of many exciting schemes public libraries offer to help children develop a love of reading. It is an immensely popular and successful reading initiative. Linking up with The Reading Agency, the independent charity working to inspire more people to read more, Clare libraries will help children complete the six book challenge by offering fun incentives along the way. The 2010 Summer Reading Challenge has a space theme. Called Space Hop, it will enable children to boldly go to new worlds, to discover the joy of reading and nurture a life-long love affair with reading and books.

Each year the Summer Reading Challenge to children is simple. They’re encouraged to read six or more books of their choice during the holidays with collectable incentives and rewards, plus a certificate for every child who completes the Challenge presented at a special event in the Autumn. Certificates will be presented at the five largest, full-time branches in the county this year for children who have participated from those and neighbouring libraries. The Summer Reading Challenge adventure starts in your local library where children can sign up from the 1st of July. An interactive Space Hop (www.spacehop.org.uk) website has also just launched, linking children with top authors and illustrators, and giving them space to talk about their favourite books and to share reading ideas. Space Hop also promotes their local library as a place of wonder for children, where librarians can offer them invaluable advice and guidance to help them on their mission. Research shows that children really enjoy taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge. It’s a great way to keep them entertained over the holidays, with children who take part reading more books and reading more widely than those who don’t. The Summer Reading Challenge introduces children to one of the best free resources that they have on their doorsteps, the local library.