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Libraries Reading Challenge
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I'm not aware of any challenges for adults here in the South West but we do have a summer reading challenge for kids: 3 library visits and 6 books over the hols. They get stickers and stuff as they go along.
Think they are smelly scratch & sniff stickers as well...just to make you more jealous.And they get a medal too :)
The stickers are scented in keeping with the "creepy" theme and are not pleasant! Last lot smelled a bit like garlic.... reliably informed by librarian that next lot smell worse!
Em wrote: "The stickers are scented in keeping with the "creepy" theme and are not pleasant! Last lot smelled a bit like garlic.... reliably informed by librarian that next lot smell worse!"My friend is a Children's librarian and her FB status one day said "Feeling sick. Library stinks" and when asked why it was those stickers :)
Who knew that being a librarian was so hazardous to your health... and then there is the books falling off shelves..
Lol - I've used mine a lot recently. But screaming kids can't be avoided sadly.Must see if the friendly librarian will give me stickers.
The libraries have encouraged the screaming kids by organising the challenge and the stickers in the first place!
I used to love the summer reading challenges. They went a long way towards giving me a love of reading. In fact, I went back home to my old local library for the first time in 25 years last week and they were running the same challenge. Nostalgia...
Em wrote: "I'm not aware of any challenges for adults here in the South West but we do have a summer reading challenge for kids: 3 library visits and 6 books over the hols. They get stickers and stuff as they..."Those challenges are such a good idea. Use a kid's natural sense of competitiveness and stealthily trick them into loving reading. Clever. Devious.
Our children get up in special mention assembly to be presented with their library certificate. Usually it's just the children from two families that manage six books over the holiday. I'm always stunned that it isn't the lot.
My kids will be presented with their library challenge certificates in assembly too! At their school, there will be a lot of pupils who have read six books this summer, there usually is!It does need a bit of parental encouragement/facilitation to get going. I think it might be hard for a primary school kid to self start this one unless they live near the library and have v strong interest in books.
Our school is in a deprived area where schooling isn't seen as important so it's difficult to engage them. Such a shame that the parents can't see a benefit to reading, especially the ones that can't read themselves.
That's awful. We weren't rich growing up, but some colourful scifi was a great substitute for an expensive holiday!
As part of its community obligations, the company I work for runs a scheme with a local school, whereby volunteers go to the school to spend time reading with the kids (7-8 year olds). The kids love it and it's obvious that many don't get a chance to read at home with their parents/family.
It always surprises me that parents don't encourage reading, comments like 'he doesn't like it/they're on the computer' make me scream.
Helen wrote: "It always surprises me that parents don't encourage reading, comments like 'he doesn't like it/they're on the computer' make me scream."I work in a library and it makes me sad when parents come in with their children and won't let them borrow a book. They've maybe come in for another reason, usually to use a computer, but they won't even let their children look at the books while they're there.
The Summer Reading Challenge is nationwide, so there have been MANY library workers who have been on the receiving end of the smelly stickers this year! They are NOT NICE!!
Ian wrote: "I blame that Bill Gates bloke lol."Me too. He can try and win our affection by eradicating malaria, yada yada, but it's going to take more than that, buster!
Seems mental to me that parents wouldn't want there kids to read??In more positive news managed to convince the local librarian to give me a smelly sticker. (ohherr)
Make your own. Impress your friends with a smelly fridge magnet by allowing something to go mouldy and then superglueing it to your fridge.




The North West Public Library Service are challenging their members to read 10 books from specific categories between June and October 2013.
More info and application form here:
http://www.time-to-read.co.uk/Promoti...
You need to read one book per category but only need to read 8 in total to be entered into a prize draw for a £50 shopping voucher.
The categories are:
1. Classic Novel
2. Contemporary Novel
3. Biography/Memoir
4. Romance/Family Saga
5. Crime/Adventure/Thriller/Western
6. Something Historical
7. Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
8. Non-Fiction
9. Poetry/Drama/Collection of Short Stories
10. Young Adult/Graphic Novel
I'm going to end up reading stuff outside of my comfort zone but maybe that's a good thing once in a while!