The Summer Reading Challenge takes place every year during the school summer holidays. Children read six library books of their choice, there are exclusive rewards to collect along the way and it’s free to take part!

Libraries launched Space Chase, this year’s challenge, on Saturday 13 July. We had a fantastic day welcoming hundreds of families into libraries across West Sussex to begin their challenge. There's plenty of time if you haven’t yet collected your wristband or chosen some books to read. Visit any West Sussex library over the summer to tell staff and volunteers about the books you’ve been reading and sharing.

The challenge finishes on Saturday 14 September, so you must pop in to collect your medal and certificate by this date.

We are also running a Mini Challenge for pre-school children. Ask staff and volunteers in your library to find out more.

Why not forward this newsletter to your friends so they can take part too?

We’ll be blasting into space over the holidays with free story and craft activities. Find out what’s happening near you.

Some activities over the summer will also feature our micro:bits. These are pocket-sized computers which can be programmed to do all sorts of things – from counting down a rocket launch to powering a sonic screwdriver!

How do you help your children to choose new authors and titles to keep them busy reading?

We suggest the online Book Sorter, produced by The Reading Agency.

It's an interactive tool which allows children to choose the type of book they want to read and is based on recommendations from other children. You can even become a reviewer and add to it yourself.

eBooks and eAudiobooks also count towards the challenge, as long as children can tell us a little bit about the title they’ve read or listened to. They key thing to remember is that children can choose to read any six titles from the library in order to achieve their Space Chase medal and certificate.

We have a wide range of eBooks, eAudio and eMagazines for adults as well as children, available to download for free from our eLibrary. Why not borrow some yourself?

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is taking readers to the far reaches of the galaxy – but our very own planet is in danger.

Climate change is having more and more of an impact and there’s a growing urgency for everyone to do something about it. That’s why we’re asking residents of all ages to make the West Sussex Climate Pledge.

The great news is that you’re already helping the environment by using your local library. Sharing and borrowing books is a sustainable way to enjoy reading, but there’s more that can be done.

We’re asking you to make small changes in the following areas:

• Make Low Carbon Journeys
• Save Water
• Pass on Plastic
• Fight Against Food Waste
• Shop Local
• Save Energy

Keep an eye out for our special Climate Pledge bookmarks (printed on recycled material) at your local library.

With 850,000 residents in West Sussex, together we can help reduce the impact of climate change on planet Earth. Make your pledge today.