Children's reading challenge takes musical theme

The challenge in Guernsey has a musical theme and encourages young bookworms to read six books.

A children's summer reading challenge with a musical theme has got under way at a Guernsey library. The Guille-Allès Library in St Peter Port has challenged children to read six books during their summer holidays. Every year, nearly 2,000 bookworms join in to earn stickers and rewards as they turn the pages, and every child who completes the challenge is awarded with a medal and a voucher for a free swim at Beau Sejour.

The library said there would be music-related books, activities and events throughout the summer to bring the theme Read to the Beat to life. Children would be encouraged to explore the "powerful connection" between stories and song, it added. The challenge was aimed at children aged three to 11, but everyone was welcome to take part, organisers said.

It runs until Saturday 12 September and families can sign up online. Reading volunteers from children's charity Bright Beginnings' literacy programme, The Next Chapter, will talk to children about the books they have enjoyed, listen to them read and celebrate their progress. Reading 'makes a difference' The charity's literacy coordinator, Andrew Bichard, said the challenge was "a brilliant way to inspire children to read".

He added: "We see first-hand the difference that reading can make to a child's confidence and progress." Jodie Hearn, the library's head of children and young people's services, said they were "pulling out all the stops" as 2026 was the National Year of Reading. "The challenge is a fantastic way to encourage children to keep reading throughout the holidays, which is so important for both their learning and their wellbeing.

"Most importantly, it's a lot of fun." Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.