This year the Summer Reading Challenge takes place from Saturday 4 July to Saturday 12 September
Read to the Beat
The Summer Reading Challenge is a free holiday activity for children. It's all about reading for fun, aiming to improve children's reading skills and confidence.
The challenge runs every year throughout the summer holidays. All children aged 4 to 11 are welcome to take part.
Children can read anything they like and collect free rewards for their reading.
Join the challenge
Delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with public libraries and powered by Universal Music UK, this year’s Sumer Reading Challenge is themed ‘Read to the Beat’.
What better year to get involved in the Summer Reading Challenge than 2026 - The National Year of Reading?
Sign up for free at any Bracknell Forest Library branch.
To complete the challenge this summer you have to:
1
Sign up for your very own children’s library card.
2
Register for the Summer Reading Challenge in person at your local library and collect your Summer Reading Challenge sticker booklet.
You can do this from Saturday 4 July.
3
Make 3 more visits to any Bracknell Forest library.
You have to get your visit registered by a staff member so you can collect your QR code stickers and other rewards.
You can go to any Bracknell Forest Library branch for each of your library visits.
You have until 4pm on Saturday 12 September.
4
Borrow, read and enjoy 6 different books of any kind throughout the summer holidays (2 per library visit).
Record each book in your challenge booklet.
They could include:
- picture books
- novels
- graphic novels
- audiobooks
- non-fiction books
Summer library events
During the Summer holidays, get involved with the activities that will be happening in libraries across Bracknell Forest.
Check our events directory for all the details.
What to read
You can choose any books you like to count towards your Summer Reading Challenge. Fiction, fact books, poetry, joke books, picture books and graphic novels - the choice is yours!
You can also read digital e-books and listen to e-audiobooks using the library's free BorrowBox app. You can read e-magazines using the PressReader app.
Why not try some of these books during the challenge? The books below are available in our libraries.
Younger readers aged 4 to 7
- The Wonder by Tom Percival
- The Big-Time Boogie-Woogie Animal Band by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Nick East
- 1, 2, 3, Do the Unicorn by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
- Doggy Dance Off by Steve Smallman, illustrated by Robert Starling
- The Life-Changing Magic of Drumming: A Beginner's Guide by Nandi Bushell, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier
- Listening to the Quiet by Andrea Silva, illustrated by Frances Ives
- The Very Noisy House by Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Gosia Herba
- All the Wonderful Ways to Move by Laura Baker, illustrated by Sandra Prada
Older readers aged 8 to 11
- Space Band by Tom Fletcher
- Diper Överlöde by Jeff Kinney
- The Piano at the Station by Helen Rutter, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
- Raising the Roof: a dazzling history of classical music and its colourful characters by Jack Pepper, illustrated by Michele Bruttomesso
- Lil' Muffin Drops the Mic by Romesh Ranganathan, illustrated by James Lancett
- Isadora Moon and the Pop Stars by Harriet Muncaster
- How to Build an Orchestra by Mary Auld, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
- Hari Kumar, Ultimate Superstar by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Mamta Singh
You can find more books to read on the Summer Reading Challenge reading list.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge include:
- encouraging children to read throughout the summer holidays
- developing a lifelong love of reading for pleasure
- encouraging children to read a variety of genres
- encouraging the whole family to use resources in the library
- helping make sure that literacy levels do not drop over the summer
- most importantly - it's fun
Parents and guardians can find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website.
Credits
Read to the Beat illustrations by Harry Woodgate, illustrations and logo © The Reading Agency 2026
