Summer Reading Challenge
Date Added: 23/07/2022
So many great books to choose from!
Which animal do you think is the most important of all? Find out by borrowing this library book and discover more.
The summer is the time to read all the books you really enjoy. Every year, the library holds the Summer Reading Challenge for children. This year’s challenge invites you to find out about science and technology and how our world works, and how we can look after it for the future. To help you choose some books, we have created this list of great books to look for in your local Library. These are just ideas – you may read anything you like for the challenge.
Just go along to your nearest branch and join 'Gadgeteers', this year's Summer Reading Challenge, and choose some to and begin the challenge
You can borrow books from the shelves or reserve them on Arena our library catalogue. This year you can also download e-books and audiobooks through Virtual Library using Libby and Borrowbox as these will also count towards your reading challenge total. You just need a Library card and a PIN to access all these fantastic resources.
Great picture stories about our world
The Girl who planted trees by Caryl Hart – the girl can't wait to plant a new forest and for animals to return.
Our world by Helen Mortimer - encourages gentle conversations about the planet, and how we look after it.
Shine, star shine by Don Conlon - Travel with Light as she zips between the many stars a trillion miles apart.
Fred and the fantastic tub tub by Zeb Soames – Fred, a young girl, and her grandpa travel to the island of Papa-Nupi to hear, the mysterious tub-tub plant produce music.
One more try by Naomi Jones - Circle loves the tower that the squares and hexagons have built and wants to make his own.
Bears make the best science buddies by Carmen Oliver -Bear proves it by helping each group use the scientific method for each experiment.
Yasmin the scientist by Saadia Faruqi - After some failed experiments, Yasmin's snack break with Nani inspires an idea for sweet success!
The Planet in a pickle jar by Martin Stanev – all about the importance of protecting the world we live in.
Stories and facts in short chapter books
Skygazing by Anna Claybourne - Discover why the sky is blue, and how helicopters stay aloft, before reading all about the night sky.
Wild scientists by Steve Mould – in Steve’s humorous style and you'll be amazed by nature's solutions to some of the world's trickiest problems
You are 25% banana by Susie Brooks - A guide to genetics that is perfect for children aged 5 years and over.
Meet Matilda rocket builder by Dom Conlon - From how to pee in zero-g to why pizzas won't take you up and up away, this is science for the curious!
Usborne Book of the brain and how it works by Betina Ip - explains the different jobs that our brains do, and how they use brain cells to accomplish them.
Science experiments at home by Susan Martineau - Each activity takes a complex, scientific concept and makes it easy for kids to understand.
The Tindims of rubbish island by Sally Gardner - Tindims contact children to show them how to turn rubbish into treasure.
Al’s Awesome science: Splash down by Jane Clarke - Al is researching the effects on his body of travelling in a time machine.
Longer novels and facinating information books
Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell - Lost in the Wonderscape an epic in-reality adventure game, they must call on the help of some unlikely historical heroes to play their way home.
Escape room by Christopher Edge- When Ami arrives at the escape, she thinks it's just a game - the ultimate escape room with puzzles and challenges to beat before time runs out but it’s so much more.
Alice alone by Sally Harris – Alice discovers that being cool isn't always what it looks like in teen magazines and that being yourself can be the coolest thing of all.
Chitty chitty bang bang flies again by Frank Cotterell Boyce -When the Tooting family find an abandoned engine and fit it to their camper van, they have no idea of the adventure that lies ahead. The Audiobook
Amber undercover by Em Norry - I've just been recruited as a secret agent! Exciting? It would be if I had a clue what I was doing.
Teachers on Pluto by Lou Treleaven - Jon thought being seven and a half billion kilometres from Earth would save him from his teacher, Mrs Hall, but apparently not.
Harley Hitch and the iron forest by Vashti Hardy - A strange fungus is discovered and there's a race to find a solution. Harley decides it's up to her to save the day.
Robots’ revolution by James Patterson - a robot revolt, with the droids wreaking havoc, the robots demand to be cared for. It's up to Sammy and his disabled sister Maddie to keep the peace.
Dr Maggie’s grand tour of the solar system by Maggie Aderin-Pocock - Dr Maggie embarks on a fascinating tour of the Solar System.
Brain Power by Dr Ranj Singh - Discover how to train your brain and become the best you can be.
Microscopic Monsters by Nick Arnold - science with the squishy bits left in! A great series.
Daydreams and jellybeans by Katy Riddell – The poems are funny and thoughtful and aim to spark inclusion.
Coding with Scratch Jr by Alvaro Scrivano- Get ready to code with this easy-to-use series full of projects and tips to get kids programming.