The Guille-Allés Library is relaunching its Summer Reading Challenge for 2025, with thousands of children expected to get involved.

Nearly 2,000 young bookworms took on the Challenge last year – reading six during their school holidays.

The Challenge – which runs from today until September – is supported in Guernsey by Rawlinson & Hunter.

This summer’s theme is ‘Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors’.

Tiffany Woosley, the Library’s Children & Young People’s Collections Lead, said ‘Story Garden’ features beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Dapo Adeola, which helps it invite children into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature.

“We’re very excited to be launching another Summer Reading Challenge,” she said.

“It’s always a fantastic way to encourage children to keep reading during the school holidays, ensuring they’re ready for a great start to the new term in the autumn. Plus, most importantly, it’s a lot of fun! We’re sure that this year’s theme of ‘Story Garden’ will be hugely inspiring, combining the joy of reading with all the benefits of connecting with nature. We can’t wait to welcome children to the Library and help them get stuck into the Challenge!”

As part of the Summer Reading Challenge the Library is teaming up with the charity Bright Beginnings, repeating a successful collaboration from previous summers.

Reading volunteers from the Bright Beginnings ‘The Next Chapter’ literacy programme will be on hand at the Library to provide a friendly face to meet and greet children, talk to them about the stories they’ve read over the holidays, and listen to them read.

Andrew Bichard, Literacy Coordinator for ‘The Next Chapter’, said: “We recognise the significant impact the volunteers have by providing their valuable time, enthusiasm, and energy to help develop children’s reading skills and confidence by supporting this initiative. It makes such a huge difference, both in the short term and long term, for the young people and their families.”

This summer’s event starts on Saturday 12 July with starter packs available from today.

Children can collect stickers and rewards along the way, while finishers receive a medal and a voucher for a free swim at Beau Sejour. It’s most suitable for children aged 3-11, but all are welcome to take part.