North Northamptonshire children encouraged to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge
Libraries26 June 2026
Children and families across North Northamptonshire Council are invited to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge 2026 Read to the Beat, delivered by the Reading Agency in partnership with libraries.
Launching on Saturday 4 July and running until 12 September, the free annual challenge will take place in libraries across the local area, encouraging children to keep reading over the summer holidays while having fun and earning rewards.
Due to Kettering Library’s temporary two-day closure on Friday 3 July and Saturday 4 July, the team onsite will be hosting a super sign-up Saturday on 11 July. All other libraries in North Northamptonshire will launch on Saturday 4 July.
This year’s theme Read to the Beat celebrates the joy of music and its power to inspire creativity, connection and storytelling through reading. Developed in partnership with Universal Music Group UK, the theme invites children to explore stories linked to rhythm, sound and culture, bringing books to life in exciting new ways.
The Summer Reading Challenge is open to all children, with a dedicated Read to the Beat mini challenge for preschool children.
Children can sign up for free any time from the 4 July at their local library (from Monday 6 July for Kettering Library), where they will receive a sticker collector card, and main Challenge participants will also receive a Read to the Beat StoryTime magazine.
Participants are encouraged to read six books over the summer, collecting stickers for each book read. Plus, for 2026, children taking part in the main Challenge can also enjoy 12 individualised optional challenges, giving them even more opportunities to stay engaged and earn additional rewards.
The Summer Reading Challenge is an excellent opportunity for kids to get reading over the school holidays and I would encourage all our younger residents to get involved.Cllr Greg Wilcox, the council’s Executive Member for Communities
The Summer Reading Challenge is well-established, always very popular in the local area and helps children grow their confidence with reading in a fun and exciting way.
The Summer Reading Challenge has been running for over 25 years and continues to inspire hundreds of thousands of children to read for pleasure each year, helping to build confidence and maintain reading skills outside the classroom.
Local libraries provide a welcoming, inclusive space for families to discover new books, take part in activities and enjoy reading together throughout the summer, throughout the summer there are a huge array of activities and events children can join for free as part of the Summer Reading Challenge, from drumming workshops, silent discos to amazing storytelling telling events and make your own instrument workshops; to find an event close to you please visit the events in libraries page on the council website.
Families can sign up from 4 July (with the exception of Kettering Library which will be closed on Friday 3 July and Saturday 4 July) by visiting their local North Northamptonshire library. For further information regarding the Summer Reading Challenge and events please ask in your local library branch or visit the libraries page on the North Northamptonshire Council website.
Anyone who completes the challenge will receive a certificate and medal (or a special finisher sticker for those doing the mini challenge).
The Summer Reading Challenge is also included in this year’s Movement and Xplorer Journal - available from local libraries.