Join In The Big Friendly Read At Your Local Library!

The Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland takes place every year during the summer holidays. You can sign up at your local library, and then read at least six library books of your choice to collect special collector cards and other incentives along the way – all for Free.

Libraries everywhere will be celebrating 100 years of the world’s greatest storyteller, Roald Dahl. The Big Friendly Read, Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge 2016 will feature some of Roald Dahl’s best-loved characters and the amazing artwork of his principal illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake.  Our Council’s Libraries are delighted to be working with The Roald Dahl Literary Estate as they celebrate his Centenary this year. Quentin Blake has designed exclusive collecting cards which feature many marvellous characters created by Roald Dahl and fun activities for the children to collect as they progress through the Challenge.

Children’s reading can dip during the long summer holidays if they don’t have regular access to books and encouragement to read for pleasure. The Reading Agency’s annual Summer Reading Challenge helps by getting three quarters of a million children into libraries over the summer.  There is no other free reading activity that involves so many children, introduces families to their library, encourages children to choose books freely and independently and is endorsed by parents, teachers and the department for education.

From 11 June all local libraries and mobile libraries will be inviting their young readers to take part in The Big Friendly Read. It’s all free and it’s fun, which is great news for parents! Last year’s Summer Reading Challenge, Record Breakers, was a great success and this year’s promises to be just as popular.

Councillor Tom McAughtrie, who is Chairman of the Council’s Communities Committee, says;

“This is a great way of encouraging children to read over the summer holidays. It’s always very popular and encourages children and their families to visit our libraries. One of our Council’s top priorities is to provide the best start in life for all our children, and encouraging parents to help their children read at such a young age stands them in good stead for later life.”

Adele Mills, Senior Community Investment Manager at Tesco Bank commented;

“Reading for pleasure is one of the best ways we like to spend the holidays so we’re delighted that children from Dumfries and Galloway are getting involved in the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland through their local library. The Challenge aims to inspire 40,000 children across Scotland to participate this summer – that’s a lot of children reading for pleasure, which can only be a good thing for them their parents and their future.”
Lockerbie Library will host a Chocolate Workshop on Saturday 2 July in association with Abbotts Chocolates from Langholm.  Children will join in and help Dennis from Abbotts Chocolates make a chocolate pizza, chocolate lollies and watch him craft a chocolate sculpture. The first 60 children who join the challenge at Lockerbie Library from 11 June will get a free golden token to the workshops.