Summer Reading Challenge 2026: Read to the Beat!

Get ready to turn up the volume on reading this summer! The exciting theme for this year's Summer Reading Challenge is Read to the Beat!

Children are invited to visit their local library, discover new books and enjoy a summer filled with fun, imagination and inspiration designed to keep them curious, active and engaged with reading over the holidays.

How to take part

• Pick up a special collector pack from your local library with the first 1000 sign-ups recieving an exclusive Reading Rocks bag too!
• Set your reading goal and read any books of your choice - this includes eBooks and eAudiobooks, free to members of Herefordshire Libraries!
• Add stickers to complete your folder and enjoy rewards along the way.
• When you complete the Challenge, collect your certificate and medal from the library.
• You can also take part online

Your local library is a great place to pick up books to complete the challenge. Not a member of Herefordshire Libraries yet? No problem! Call in or join online! It's completely FREE!

About the Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge has been running since 1999 and inspires a passion for reading outside the classroom. With the help of local libraries, the Summer Reading Challenge is accessible to all and provides a fun, free activity for children. The Challenge has successfully engaged over half a million children annually for more than 25 years.

About the theme

In 2026, The Reading Agency is partnering with Universal Music Group UK to bring the theme, Read to the Beat! to life. The theme is all about celebrating the joy of music and the power it has to move, inspire, and connect us – all through the magic of reading. This year’s Challenge is brought to life with illustrations by award-winning author and illustrator, Harry Woodgate.

The partnership will see Universal Music Group artists championing the joy of reading and sharing their own stories of creative expression. Children will have the opportunity to discover diverse musical genres and cultural influences through the specially curated reading list and engaging activities that celebrate the connection between storytelling and sound. The Summer Reading Challenge is a key moment of the government led National Year of Reading, a transformative national initiative designed to reignite a culture of reading for pleasure across the UK.