Hundreds of Portsmouth children listen to author Nick Sharratt as the city's reading challenge gets underway

The event kick-started this year's Summer Reading Challenge which is called Ready, Set, Read! and has a sports and games theme. A whole host of books have been carefully chosen to fit the theme, with many of them available at local libraries.

To complete the Summer Reading Challenge, children should borrow library books from July 8 to September 23. The Challenge accepts all forms of reading, including books of any size and subject, not just sports and games but also graphic novels, poetry, picture books, eBooks, and audio books.

There are two ways to take part in the challenge, in person or online. To take part in person visit any Portsmouth library to sign up for a library card, choose a reading goal, receive a special summer collector folder, and select some books to get started. Each time someone completes and returns a book, they will receive a library sticker and other special incentives, which will complete a page in their collector folder.

Children can also participate in the Challenge online by signing up on the Summer Reading Challenge website: summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/join-in. By choosing a reading goal and keeping track of progress on their profile, children will receive a virtual badge and certificate once they reach their objective. The Challenge also has its own set of characters and activity cards showcasing various sports for all levels of ability, which can be found on the website.