MP Books into Summer Read Challenge - 24th Jul, 2007

Sian James MP has support the "Big Wild Read", a campaign to get children reading throughout the summer holidays.

Sian James MP said: “I fully support this campaign to get children reading throughout the summer holidays.

"Libraries in Swansea help children get the reading habit early, are a great place to spend time and learn to enjoy books.

“While children are having a great time, they are also reinforcing all the educational achievements in reading. Holidays are a good time to enjoy reading for all of us, and I urge everyone to go along to one of our fabulous libraries to pick up a book this summer.”

Event host, APPG chair Lyn Brown MP, said local libraries always have an important part to play in children’s development, but never more than in the long summer holidays.

She said research from The Reading Agency showed that children can take a step back in their reading during the summer holidays, and that by visiting libraries and reading regularly reading levels could improve before children return to school in September.

Lyn said the launch had been a great success, and thanked MPs including Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, Libraries Minister Margaret Hodge and Minister of State for the Third Sector, Ed Miliband, for promoting the campaign.

Every year, more and more children take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, undertaken in partnership with public libraries and supported by children’s publishers. This summer a staggering 700,000 children are expected to take part, and an estimated 16 million books will be borrowed from libraries.