Summer Reading Challenge 2025

The Summer Reading Challenge 2025 Story Garden is back in Glasgow Life Libraries! It starts on Saturday 21 June and will run until Saturday 9 August. This year’s theme is Story Garden, inspiring children to grow their love of storytelling and reading through nature. Children aged 4-11 need to read 6 books of their choice to receive prizes and a certificate. There’s also a challenge for little ones, newborn to 4 years old, to inspire parents/carers to read to their babies and toddlers. It’s the perfect way to keep kids reading over the summer, retaining their reading skills, discovering new books and growing their love of reading for fun.

In addition to the reading challenge, we’ll be running related events in libraries across the city during the holidays. At Parkhead, Drumchapel, and Pollokshaws libraries, we’ll be hosting fun story time and craft events based on the popular book Somebody Swallowed Stanley. We’ll also be running Story Trails, guided walks between selected libraries with nature-related tasks (taking about 30 minutes). At the end, the kids can enjoy a rest and story time.

We’ve also created a Summer Reading Challenge-themed reading list to spark ideas for new books and highlight some of the range of print and e-books on offer for our younger readers.

Children from Riverside Primary School in Govan helped us kick start the Challenge by taking part in a lively story-writing and illustration session at Elder Park Library. Led by author Justin Davies and illustrator Jil Calder, the kids let their imaginations run wild, creating stories, poems, and drawings.

Help us spread the word and encourage any bookworms you know to sign and take part! More info is available on our website.