Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central visited Acomb Explore Library to celebrate the success of the summer reading challenge for this year.  The Summer Reading Challenge, is delivered in partnership with public libraries and funded by Arts Council England. The Challenge encourages children aged 4 to 11 to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure over the summer holidays, providing lots of fun as well as helping to prevent the summer reading ‘dip’.

Each year the Challenge motivates over 700,000 children across the UK to keep reading to build their skills and confidence. Children across York have participated in the programme which incentivises children to read, in a fun and accessible way.

Rachael Maskell MP said: “The summer reading challenge is a fantastic initiative that encourages children to read for fun and to learn on their own initiative.  The theme this year was ‘gadgeteers’ which was supported by the Science Museum Group.  I was delighted that I could donate the science books which were donated to the library which I hope many children will find interesting and inspire children to see the science and innovation behind everyday objects, showing that reading and science are for everyone.

“In selecting the books in Parliament, I thought about the books that I would have enjoyed reading as a child. In the collection I presented to the library there was one about inventors, one about different aspects of science, one about the solar system, and one about how animals adapt to their environment. My favourite book, however, was entitled ‘Book of the Brain and how it works’. This is definitely a book I would have loved as a child, not least as someone who went on to work in neurology!

“I hope the children of Acomb get real pleasure from reading these books.”

Lyndsay Glover, Librarian for Children and Young People Explore York Libraries and Archives, said: “Children in York have been on a journey of endless exploration together this summer with Gadgeteers, the Summer Reading Challenge 2022. They’ve been boggled by brilliant facts, gazed at the stars, and been inspired by getting hands on with creativity and invention. They have come along to more than sixty events at Explore libraries and reading cafes across the city – from squishy circuits, to Stories of the Stars with Hoglets Theatre and so much more -. Most importantly, they have come into libraries and enthusiastically told us all about the books they have been reading over summer.

Every year we hear from parents and children alike how the Summer Reading Challenge sparks an excitement to read that can be difficult to find at school. In supporting reading for pleasure the Challenge puts fun and enjoyment front and centre. It enables children to take ownership of their reading, opening up new imaginative worlds and unleashing multitudes of benefits in the process.

With a week to go it’s not too late to get involved – the challenge finishes on 10 September.”

Find out more about the Summer Reading Challenge: https://exploreyork.org.uk/children/summer-reading-challenge/