Libraries across Nottinghamshire are getting ready to celebrate 100 years of the world’s favourite storyteller, Roald Dahl with The Big Friendly Read, Summer Reading Challenge 2016.

The Summer Reading Challenge asks 4 to 11-year-olds to borrow and read any six library books over the summer. This annual challenge is produced by The Reading Agency and run in libraries across the country.

It has a new theme each year and in 2016 the Challenge is delivered in collaboration with The Roald Dahl Literary Estate to celebrate 100 years of the world’s favourite storyteller.

Children sign up at their nearest library to receive a free collector folder to keep a record of their Summer Reading Challenge journey. As they progress they collect special collector cards to complete their folder. The cards all feature original Quentin Blake illustrations and explore some of most popular themes in Roald Dahl’s books such as invention, mischief and friendship. There’s a certificate and medal for every child who completes the challenge by reading six books.

Last year in Nottinghamshire 10,419 children took part. We hope even more will be inspired to take part this year, as it’s the first year Inspire has delivered the challenge in libraries – just one of the cultural services they now run for Nottinghamshire.

Inspire is a Community Benefit Society which delivers a range of cultural, art, library and learning services on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council.

Councillor John Knight, Culture Committee Chairman at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a wonderful scheme which always attracts thousands of children to take part each year and research shows it helps to boost their literacy skills during the holidays. The challenge further promotes the value and fun of reading for children within Nottinghamshire’s libraries, with lots of rewards for them to earn on the way.”

Go to www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/summerreadingchallenge for details.

There are lots of brilliant activities running at libraries inspired by the wonderful works of Road Dahl. Ask in your library for more details. Selected summer events are listed below.

Mansfield Central Library hosts The Big Friendly Exhibition, from Tuesday 19 July to Thursday 1 September. Inspire’s Arts Service has been working with Nottinghamshire schools and artists to created an exhibition of amazing artwork inspired by the fantastic stories of Roald Dahl. The exhibition also features an ‘interactive reading shed’ set in a garden of wonderful woolly flowers. Inspired by the writing hut Roald Dahl wrote his brilliant stories.