Children invited to join Space Chase at Northumberland libraries

Children in Northumberland are being invited to join the Space Chase and sign up to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge at their local library.

This year’s Challenge asks 4-11 year olds to borrow and read any six library books over the summer. The theme for the 2019 is Space Chase, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Children will team up with futuristic family The Rockets for an exciting space mission as they track down books nabbed by a mischievous band of aliens. As children read library books for the Summer Reading Challenge, they will receive special stickers, some with mysterious smells. By adding these stickers to their collectable mission folders, young readers will help the Rockets solve clues, dodge asteroids and discover the missing books, having lots of fun and adventures along the way.

To take part in Space Chase, all children need to do is sign up at their nearest library, where they will be given a collector folder to keep a record of their Summer Reading Challenge journey.

Space Chase launches in libraries across Northumberland  on Saturday  July 13 with special launch events in Morpeth  and Ashingtonwith Big Bang Science Parties and Hexham with visiting astronomers from Kielder Observatory. The Challenge runs until Saturday September 13.

There’s a whole programme of events and activities planned at Northumberland  libraries for families over the summer to celebrate the Summer Reading Challenge, including We’re Going on a Space Hunt with Battlesteads Dark Sky Observatory, space themed Books and Art  workshops, a film making workshop and fun digital sessions with our makey makey kits and Bee-bots.

Just contact your local library or go to Northumberland Libraries find out how to take part.

Cllr Cath Homer, Northumberland County Council cabinet member for Culture, Arts, Tourism and Leisure said: “Around 2,000 children across Northumberland took part in last year’s Summer Reading Challenge in libraries.  We hope that even more children visit their local library to join ‘Space Chase’ this Summer. Not only is the Challenge great fun, it also encourages children to read more books over the Summer and to develop a lifelong love of reading”.

Sue Wilkinson, CEO of The Reading Agency said: “At The Reading Agency, we tackle life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. We know from our research that families and children love taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge, and we are proud to have been running the Challenge for twenty years this year. The space theme has been chosen to coincide with the 5Oth anniversary of the first moon landing. Last summer, children worked with illustrator Adam Stower to come up with ideas for the Space Chase adventure, and we hope the Challenge will inspire all children to use their local library and to read lots of great books throughout the summer and beyond.”

For more information go to www.spacechase.org.uk