Quest Seekers – Summer Reading Challenge

13,641 children took part in Quest Seekers in Leicestershire and 10,055 completed the challenge!  Thank you for all your comments.  Here are just a few.

Quest Seekers

• “It was brilliant, I enjoyed it and now want to come every week to pick up some new books.”  Jordan, 11

• “I think Quest Seekers is brilliant because then I can read books instead of watching TV.”  Danielle, 10

• “It was great, I really liked it, I hope the boys win.”  Jacob, 6
• “I’ve been not too keen on books before but now I enjoy reading. Thank you.”  Eden 11
• “I thought Quest Seekers was fun and I have read a lot more books than I normally would thanks to it.”  Alexandra, 11

• “I enjoyed reading books for a challenge and collecting posters and stickers. I’ve had so much fun reading books over the summer.”  William, 7

• “I enjoyed it. It was fun. The stickers were awesome. I loved reading at night before I went to sleep.”  Jade, 7
• “It was the best thing I’ve done in 9 years and I am 9.  It is wicked.  Rock on Quest Seekers!!!!!”

Mums and dads liked Quest Seekers too…

• “We have thoroughly enjoyed our challenge this year. We have shared lots of special reading times together and every year is a new experience.”
• “We have had a good time visiting the library. Its always hard work dragging the children away from the place – they enjoy it very much!”

Come back next year for Summer Reading Challenge 2010!

The nation’s favourite nursery rhyme is revealed

A new survey has revealed that parents in the Midlands are top of the class when it comes to singing nursery rhymes with their children.

More than 42% of parents in the Midlands answered that they often sing nursery rhymes with their children, which put them joint first in the UK with parents in Wales.

Over 2,500 people participated in the survey for National Bookstart Day, which takes place this Friday (Friday 9 October).  National Bookstart Day celebrates the Bookstart programme, which gives three packs of free books to every child in the UK and encourages sharing books with children from as young an age as possible.

The theme of this year’s National Bookstart Day is My Favourite Rhyme.

The top ten nationally are:

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
2. Incey Wincey Spider
3. Round and Round the Garden
4. Baa Baa Black Sheep
5. The Grand Old Duke of York
6. If You’re Happy and You Know It
7. Humpty Dumpty
8. This Little Piggy
9. Ring a Ring a Roses
10. I’m a Little Teapot

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was the favourite amongst all the regions in the UK, apart from the north east which chose Incey Wincey Spider.

**For the full results of the survey please contact Katherine Solomon on 0208 875 4583 or katherine@booktrust.org.uk**

Wriggly Rhymes

Shepshed and Kegworth libraries are celebrating National Bookstart Day 2009 at their next Wriggly Readers sessions, both events will take place on Thursday 8th October, Shepshed 10:00 to 10:30 and Kegworth; 10.30 to 11.15am.

Bookstart aims to help every child in the UK to develop a lifelong love of books and this year’s programme will offer millions of children and parents the chance to discover the joy of reading together.

Favourite rhymes such as; Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep and even Incey Wincey Spider will be out in force this in Celebration of National Bookstart Day but we want you to come along and tell us your favourites.

For further details please contact Shepshed Library on 0116 3033678 or Kegworth Library on 0116 3053609 or visit http://www.leics.gov.uk/bookstart

Wriggly Rhymes

Shepshed and Kegworth libraries are celebrating National Bookstart Day 2009 at their next Wriggly Readers sessions, both events will take place on Thursday 8th October, Shepshed 10:00am to 10:30am and Kegworth 10:30am to 11:15am.

Bookstart aims to help every child in the UK to develop a lifelong love of books and this year’s programme will offer millions of children and parents the chance to discover the joy of reading together.

Favourite rhymes such as; Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep and even Incey Wincey Spider will be out in force this in Celebration of National Bookstart Day but we want you to come along and tell us your favourites.

For further details please contact Shepshed Library on 0116 3033678 or Kegworth Library on 0116 3053609 or visit www.bookstart.org.uk

http://www.leics.gov.uk/shephed_library

http://www.leics.gov.uk/kegworth_library

Library Quest Seekers complete the reading challenge

Libraries in Leicestershire have been buzzing this summer after more than 13,000 children signed up to take part in Quest Seekers, the national Summer Reading Challenge.

Children aged between four and 12 were challenged to read six books during the summer holidays – and many have done so.

Parents, grandparents and anyone looking after children during the summer are asked to encourage young Quest Seekers who haven’t yet completed their reading challenge to do so.

They need to visit the library before Saturday, 12th September to receive a certificate and other goodies.

Teachers say they can tell straight away which children have taken part in the Summer Reading Challenge – they go back to school in September ready to carry on with their reading and ready to learn.

Find out more about Quest Seekers at www.leics.gov.uk/libraries

Wriggly Readers

We have had a lot of positive comments from customers attending our Wriggly reader sessions, so we thought we would share some of these positive comments:

“It’s good to get out and meet new mums, dads and children, my child loves learning words and songs and meeting other babies”

“I love meeting and talking to other parents, it gives me structure to the week, its such fun and a great social activity for my baby”

“It helps me get out of the house and for my child to make new friends”

“My son loves the songs and joining in with the movements”

“My child loves to watch other children and join in with the songs”

“A fantastic opportunity to enjoy music and stories with my daughter, it encourages her love of music and books and is very stimulating”

“I enjoy meeting other mums and think the sessions are really fun”

“The sessions have really developed my granddaughter’s love of the library”

“Makes the library a fun place to be, in time I hope it will help her get over her shyness”

Please feel free to share your comments below!

Wriggle along to Earl Shilton Library every Wednesday

The huge popularity of Earl Shilton Library’s weekly story and rhyme time group, Wriggly Readers, has meant sessions have been split into two.

The sessions are held every Wednesday. The first group starts at 10am and is aimed at children aged between two and five years of age.

The 11am group is very popular with new mums and the under twos, but come along to which ever session suits you and your child best.

Wriggly Readers are a great way to introduce your child to books, songs and nursery rhymes.

They also provide a good opportunity to meet other mums, dads, grandparents or carers, and for children to socialise with other children of a similar age.

All libraries across Hinckley and Bosworth offer a Wriggly Readers session at least once a month and details of all sessions can be found at www.leics.gov.uk/wrigglyreaders, or by contacting your local library.

Festival celebrations to launch new reading garden!

Come and join the fun and activities at Newbold Verdon Library next week.  The library is holding a three-day Community Festival (11th-13th August) to celebrate the opening of the its newly created reading garden.  To mark the occasion, Roger Wilson, the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council will unveil and name a fabulous sculpture and declare the reading garden officially open on Wednesday 12th August at 11am.

The sculpture has been created by local residents who worked alongside Gwyn Williams, a sculptor from Hinckley, to design 96 individual plaques.  The reading garden at the side of the library will contain six mosaics, also designed by local people and created by local artist, Jo Allsopp.

The festival starts on Tuesday 11th August at 10.30am with a special wriggly reader’s session celebrating ‘The Gruffalo’ – famous childrens character.  An exciting Questseeker’s event for children under 11 will be taking place in the afternoon.

On Wednesday 12th August as well as the official opening of the reading garden, families can enjoy an afternoon full of fun – from 2pm there will be a circus skills workshop, ballon modelling, face painting and storytelling activities to name but a few.

On Thursday 13th August there will be a Manga and Graphic drawing workshop in the morning, followed by tea and tales – a talk about the life and works of Agatha Christie with local expert, John Martin.

Roger Wilson, Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, said:

“The reading garden is a lovely peaceful area and is a great community space for everyone to enjoy.  Libraries now offer so much more than the traditional lending of books such as the many activities taking place at the community festival.  I would encourage everyone to come along, have some fun and see for themselves.”

All of the events during the festival are free and everyone is welcome, but due to demand Tuesday’s and Thursday’s events need pre-booking.

For more details or to book a place, please visit the library or contact

Gill Harris on 0116 305 3660.

Bad Guy Gum bags big kids’ book prize

Andy Stanton bags the prize

Being a bad guy can be great. Especially if you are fictional bad guy Mr Gum, recently picked by Leicestershire’s children as their top read of the year.

You’re a Bad Man Mr Gum by Andy Stanton is the winner of Leicestershire Library Services’ first ever children’s book prize

Andy Stanton received his prize at Borders Books near Fosse Park last week. The event was attended by children from Weavers Close Church of England Primary School in Earl Shilton.

Weavers Close was the winner from a prize draw of schools that had actively supported the Children’s Book Prize and has won £200 pounds worth of books from the prize sponsor, Borders.

Also attending were review winners, Harry Wallace, Adam Toms and Megan Randnamahavorisoa

Over 1,300 children from across Leicestershire voted online, in libraries and in Borders bookshops for their favourite book from a shortlist of titles selected by children aged 10 -13.

The Leicestershire Children’s Book Prize was launched in 2008 as part of the National Year of Reading. Its main aim was to promote great books and to encourage reading for pleasure for children in school years 6 and 7.

To see the winning reviews or find out more about more visit www.leics.gov.uk/childrensbookprize

Quest Seekers library reading challenge

Children in Leicestershire are challenged to go on a mysterious quest for golden books at their library this summer.

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is called Quest Seekers. Children aged 4 – 12 years can pick up a free membership card and fold-out poster from their local library or mobile library from 4^th July.

They will be challenged to find a golden book and by reading throughout the summer, they will collect stickers and other goodies. When they complete the challenge, they will be rewarded with a certificate.

Margaret Bellamy, Head of Leicestershire Library Services, said: “Quest Seekers is a great way to keep children entertained over the holidays – and it helps them read widely and get ready to learn when they return to school. Teachers say they can see the difference it makes.”

Children under four can join in their own version of Quest Seekers by visiting their local library and collecting stickers for a special Bookcrawl Quest Seekers certificate.

Libraries across the county will be running free Quest Seekers activities throughout the summer and there will be a special Quest Seekers website linking children with top authors and illustrators, and giving them space to talk about their favourite books and to share reading ideas.

For more information about Quest Seekers call in at your local library or visit the website at www.leics.gov.uk/questseekers.