Children to get musical in libraries this summer

This summer, children in Liverpool have the exciting opportunity to engage with music and reading through the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge. The theme, *Read to the Beat!*, highlights the celebratory connection between music and storytelling, emphasizing how music can inspire, unite, and move people, all experienced through the joy of books.

A specially curated selection of 55 books forms the heart of this year’s challenge, featuring stories, poems, graphic novels, and non-fiction titles that reflect musical traditions from around the globe. The collection caters to a wide range of reading abilities, including picture books, early readers, middle grade titles, and works that are dyslexia-friendly. This diverse mix is designed to captivate young readers by weaving the magic of music into every page.

Liverpool’s libraries, in alignment with the National Year of Reading, are inviting families to incorporate reading into their summer plans. Children interested can register at any local library, set personal reading targets, and earn rewards as they progress. Alongside the reading challenge, the city’s libraries are hosting special musical songwriting workshops led by local musician Dan Astles. These sessions will use books and poems as a springboard for children to write and record their own songs. Additionally, storytelling and craft sessions will be run with the support of the local group Steam Engineers, combining unique stories with craft activities using recycled materials and introducing basic coding games.

The Summer Reading Challenge has a long-standing tradition of inspiring young readers, now entering its 27th year. Each summer, it encourages hundreds of thousands of children across the UK to discover a love for reading. Last year, more than eleven million books—including audio and eBooks—were borrowed during the event. Reflecting on the program, Cllr Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, remarked, “Getting children into the reading habit early encourages a lifetime love of literature. This year we are bringing the Summer Reading Challenge to life using music, crafts and coding – all things we know young people love. Our libraries are a fantastic community resource and are free to use, so the Summer Reading Challenge is a family activity that costs absolutely nothing.”

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