Children in the local area are among more than 71,000 young Victorians who explored exciting new worlds and built their literacy skills this year as part of the Premiers’ Reading Challenge, now in its seventeenth year.
Victorian kids aged from pre-school to Year 10 collectively made their way through more than 2.8 million books between March and September for the challenge, which this year celebrated the theme ‘Open Up a New World’.
The annual challenge encourages enthusiastic readers across households, early childhood centres and schools to read a set number of books – including picture books, short stories, poems or nonfiction books –and record their efforts online.
The challenge sets kids a goal of 40 books for children below school age with their parents or carers, 30 books for Prep to Year 2 students with or without assistance, and 15 books for students in Years 3 to 10.
Casey Cardinia Library Corp will receive $59,960 so they can buy the materials they need to support the 2022 Challenge.
Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said reading not only fostered a lifelong love of learning, but helped kids build life long literacy skills.
“A huge congratulations to every Victorian child who has picked up a book or 40 this year,” Mr Merlino said.
“I also want to congratulate every parent and carer who has supported their child’s learning and love of reading as part of this challenge – each word, page and chapter will go a long way in their education journey.”
Of this year’s 71,342 participants, 8,315 readers were below school age – encouraging a love of books and stories in Victorian kids from a young age.
More than 12,000 books were listed on the Premiers’ Reading Challenge book list for each age group to choose from, with titles curated by an expert panel including teachers and librarians.
Each participant who meets the challenge receives a certificate of achievement signed by all Premiers since 1992.
