Library Services – Summer Reading Challenge 2020

Hello Everyone,

I am Christopher Jones a Librarian working for Inspire: Culture Learning and libraries who run libraries in Nottinghamshire.  I hope you are gearing up for a well-deserved break over the Summer.

I am emailing to let you know about all the fantastic activities and activities we will be running over the Summer.  As you know times are unusual but we are offering a huge amount of activities for children to take part in over the Summer via our website.

All of the below can be found on our Summer Reading Challenge page at http://www.inspireculture.org.uk/summerreadingchallenge (you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page)

  1. Inspire Share a Joke Competition 2020 – We want you to share your favorite jokes with us.  All entries will have a chance of winning their joke drawn as a comic by Beano cartoonist Marc Jackson.  We are accepting individual and even class entries.  The page also features a host of jokes from our famous author friends.
  2. Comic strip drawing workshops – Comic artist Marc Jackson is showing us how to turn favorite jokes into a comic strip over three 10-minute workshops.  The first session will go live on Wednesday 15th July with subsequent videos appearing on a fortnightly basis.
  3. Dirty Bertie – What Happens Next? – Competition – Dirty Bertie author Alan MacDonald is setting you a Dirty Bertie What Happens Next challenge.  He will read an extract from one of his books and then ask you what you think should happen next.  He will also give you some hints and tips. Goes live 18th July.
  4. Silly Summer Challenges – Silly Squad is all about being silly and enjoying yourself.  So, we have set a series of challenges to be completed weekly or even quicker if you are a super challenger.  Can you complete them all? (I have attached a copy of the challenges to this email).  Starts today.
  5. The Big Veg Takedown – Join brave explorer Walter Lemon face on a new animated adventure full of colorful characters, mysterious happenings… and lots of lemony goodness!  At the end of each part we ask for your feedback on what you would like to happen next.  We will try and incorporate as many suggestions as possible into the next episode.  This is a four-part adventure with parts one and 2 already out.  Parts three and four come on July 22nd and August 5th, so it is not too late to take part.

As usual we will be running the Summer Reading Challenge. 

Usually, the Challenge takes place in libraries across the county.

This year, with the disruption caused by COVID-19 and the impact of social distancing on schools and public libraries, the 2020 Challenge will be an all-new, all-digital Challenge.   

Children will set their own personal reading goal and take part online to unlock digital rewards.  Children can join at www.sillysquad.org.uk

The theme for the Challenge is Silly Squad – a celebration of funny books, happiness and laughter.  Children taking part online will meet the Silly Squad; a loveable bunch of animals who run a fantastic fun house.

There are eBooks, eAudio, eMagazines and eNewspapers, available to borrow online here all to read and listen to for free. 

As the summer progresses and our libraries begin to reopen children will also be able to borrow books from their local library. 

As always, children choose the books they want to read on their Challenge; novels, fact books, joke books – all reading counts.  Opening hours and services may be different to what you are used to but the warm welcome from our staff will remain. 

For up to date information on which of our libraries are open and when please check out the following page  https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/reading-information/which-libraries-are-reopening/

We also have a whole host of other activities available at www.inspireculture.org.uk/online  including music sessions, art activities, online nursery rhymes, dance challenges and many other things that will be of interest to children and families.

Hopefully the above will be of interest to your children and families and will help keep them entertained over the Summer. 

Thanks

Chris

Christopher Jones

Librarian

Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries

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On this page are lots of great links and activities to help with your reading at home.

Here are some links to reading activities online: 

   – Reading Primary Games

   – PBS Reading Games

   – BBC School Literacy Site

Reading with Mr Thorne

Have some fun reading with Mr Thorne!

  A suggestion of books for different age range   

0-5 year olds

  • The Tiger Who Came to Tea
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Lost and Found
  • Room on the Broom
  • Dear Zoo

6-8 year olds

  • The BFG
  • A Bear Called Paddington
  • Horrid Henry
  • Charlotte’s Web
  • The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

9-11 year olds

  • Matilda
  • The Story of Tracy Beaker
  • The Borrows
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

These suggestions come from the Book Trust, if you would like some more suggestions of books visit The Book Trust – 100 Best Books