Young readers in Stratford can read their way around the mountain

Bridget Roper, Senior Library Officer at the Stratford Library, holding some of the childrens books available at the library.

The right book can take you anywhere, and a new initiative is encouraging Stratford youngsters to "read their way around the mountain".

The Reading Around the Mountain challenge is running at Stratford Library. It's for all readers between the ages of five and 18 in the Stratford District.

All children are given a ticket when they start, and when they have checked in with a librarian about a book they have read, their ticket gets stamped. Once they have five stamps, the ticket is complete and they move on to the next Taranaki town.

There are 10 towns included, meaning participants will have to read 50 books to complete the challenge, and can get up to 10 entries for the prize draw at the end.

Senior library officer Bridget Roper says the challenge will help children keep up to date with what is new at the library.

"This challenge encourages children to come and see our new books. We get new books every month."

Children can read non-fiction, fiction and graphic novels for the competition. Books read with parents and grandparents can be included - they just have to be books from the library, Bridget says.

"The library has always had an after-school book club. In the winter months the kids tend to have sports practices which clash, making it harder for them to come along. This is a flexible way for kids to keep visiting us at the library."

Bridget says all children can participate, as long as they are in the Stratford district.

"For the children who live in the eastern districts, they can check in by email or over the phone."

For every town each reader gets to, they get an entry to go in the draw for a prize. Bridget says 36 children have already signed up.

"We are really pleased with the number of kids who have signed up and shown an interest."

■ The Around the Mountain reading competition finishes on July 19. To sign up, visit the Stratford Library.