Young bookworms join the Summertime Reading Club

Friday 13 January 2012

The Summertime Reading Club has returned, exciting young bookworms across Christchurch, and helping fill the gap left in children’s education left by the summer holidays.

Christchurch City Libraries runs the competition, which involves children aged 5–13 reading as many books as they can. For every six books completed, a reading log can be registered online. There is no limit on the number of logs entered.

Acting Libraries and Information Unit Manager Andrew Adams says, Kids can choose from a variety of genres – from sports and true stories to magical mysteries. It’s about letting them pursue their own interests and direct their own learning.

Mayor Bob Parker says the competition helps fight a phenomenon that educationalists call the summer slide.

It’s been proven that when the average child goes on a summer break, they lose the equivalent of almost a month of education received in school that year, especially in regards to reading ability. Summertime reading programmes like ours have been shown to have an incredibly positive effect on the behaviour, education and outlook of children.

Last year, the Summertime Reading Club received 800 entries – twice what it received in the 2009/2010 season. This year, it is hoped there will be more than 1000 entries.

With more and more children reading, Christchurch City Libraries feels a special reward is in order. The first 500 entries receive mini prize-packs. There will also be weekly book prizes, and the grand prize of an iPod Touch. Paper Plus Barrington, a longtime supporter of Christchurch City Libraries’ reading programmes, will host the prizegiving at 4pm Friday 27 January, where book winners get to choose their prize from the shelves.
Entries close on Friday 20 January 2012. For more information, and to register, please visit christchurchcitylibraries.com.