02 Jul 2025
Hertfordshire Libraries participate in the Story Garden Summer Reading Challenge with free activities for families launching 5 July 2025
Get ready for a summer of adventure at your local Hertfordshire Library!
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors, will encourage children to explore the magical connection between storytelling and nature, against the backdrop of the celebrations for 100 years of Hertfordshire Libraries.
In collaboration with The Reading Agency, throughout the summer, children joining ‘Story Garden’ can discover new books, participate in free activities at their local library, and explore the link between reading and the great outdoors.
The Challenge launches at all Hertfordshire Libraries on Saturday 5 July, and runs until Saturday 6 September. Children are encouraged to read six library books and collect exclusive stickers along the way. Those who complete the Challenge will receive a medal and certificate - while stocks last - and a chance to win tickets to an interactive workshop with the celebrated author and poet, Sean Taylor.
Keep an eye out for pop-up Maker Stations at select libraries during the summer holidays, offering simple and sustainable nature inspired activities.
Visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/SummerReadingChallenge for details.
Cllr Chris Lucas, Executive Member for Resources and Performance, said:
“We are very excited for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, as it follows hot on the heels of Hertfordshire Libraries receiving the Library of the Year Award (East of England) for their work on last year’s challenge. The award recognised the work our libraries do to break down barriers to reading and to engage a wider range of children and young people with the magic of books and libraries, demonstrating our ambition to do better for Hertfordshire’s children”.
“This year’s challenge is particularly special, as we are celebrating Hertfordshire Libraries Centenary. It is a wonderful opportunity to inspire a love of reading and storytelling to expand the imagination of Hertfordshire’s children, which strengthens the enduring legacy of our fantastic Library Service.”
For all enquiries, please contact:
rachael.shadbolt@hertfordshire.gov.uk or Gemma.Palmer@Hertfordshire.gov.uk
Notes to editors
About The Summer Reading Challenge:
Reaching close to 600,000 children in 2024 nationally, the Challenge helped start over 100,000 new library memberships and contributed to 13.3 million books being read and logged over the summer. In Hertfordshire, over 17,500 children took place in the 2024 challenge, contributing to over 500,000 physical and digital issues during the summer. Since its inception in 1999, the Summer Reading Challenge has helped start 15 million reading journeys nationally, making it a vital cornerstone in the children’s reading ecosystem.
About The Reading Agency
The Reading Agency is a UK charity with a mission to empower people of all ages to read. Evidence shows that reading improves health and wellbeing, life chances and social connections. The Reading Agency champions access to the proven power of reading by providing activities for all ages. Working with public libraries, prisons, hospitals and other community settings, we reach over two million people a year. But with a UK population of over 67 million that's not nearly enough. We want to get more people fired up about reading because everything changes when you read.
About Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor is an award-winning author of over 60 books for young readers of different ages and has 30 years’ experience as a writer visiting schools, libraries, arts centres, prisons and museums.
As well as readings and signings of his books, he offers performances featuring riddles, storytelling and poetry, and creative-writing workshops.
About Hertfordshire County Council
We are working to build a sustainable, inclusive and thriving Hertfordshire, as we deliver hundreds of services to the 1.2million people who live in the county.
We want to create a county where every resident thrives and achieves their aspirations, where economic growth, innovation and industry are supported, and our environment is protected for future generations.
Above all, we want to be a council that Hertfordshire’s people recognise as being on their side.
To find out more about our key priorities and our commitments to our residents visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/corporateplan
Powered by Onclusive PR Manager © 2026