Tavistock Library will be kickstarting this year’s Summer Reading Challenge for all Devon Libraries (under Libraries Unlimited).

To mark this, there will be a special event held at the library on Saturday, July 8 from 10.30am to 12.30pm which will feature a range of activities (mostly physical) suited to the theme of this year’s challenge — games and sports — along with a children’s entertainer.

This year, the Library has also paired with Meadowlands, so that children who successfully complete the challenge get a free swim.

The Summer Reading Challenge is a national educational competition held annually in the UK by The Reading Agency, designed to encourage primary school children to read books during the summer holidays. They read six books to complete the challenge, borrowing two books at a time and tracking their progress with stickers on a personal chart. Upon completion, they receive a medal and a certificate.

First assistant at the library Denise Gatley said: ‘We’re just in the process of putting it all together and encouraging lots of local youngsters to sign up and take part. It’s a great thing to do to keep children reading over the holidays. It’s a fairly new tradition that a library is chosen to launch the challenge so it’s our first time. It means we get an assigned budget to arrange the launch day with entertainment, so we’re making a splash about it this year!’

Denise also confirmed that the library was looking to host some fun and games afternoons each Friday in the upcoming weeks.