Summer Reading Challenge 2025 – Results
The Summer Reading Challenge 2025 – ‘Story Garden’, successfully engaged children and families across Wales, supporting reading for pleasure and ongoing engagement with public libraries during the school summer holidays.
Delivered by The Reading Agency and in partnership with public libraries across Wales, the Challenge reached 26,989 children nationwide. Of these, 14,787 children completed the Challenge, giving an overall completion rate of 55%.
- Number of children who took part: 26,989
- Number of children who completed the Challenge: 14,787
- Completion rate: 55%
Children were able to take part both in their local library or online, helping to ensure the Challenge remained accessible to a wide range of families.
Library participation and engagement
Public libraries were central to the delivery of the Challenge, supporting children through book borrowing, activities and events.
Over the summer, participants borrowed a total of 419,235 books from public libraries across Wales.
Libraries also delivered an extensive programme of Challenge-related activities, attracting large numbers of families which were supported by staff and volunteers.
- Number of events held in libraries: 1,791
- People attending library events: 46,898
- Volunteers supporting the Challenge in libraries: 159
Despite ongoing pressures on public libraries, all libraries across Wales continued to play a vital role in supporting children’s reading over the summer months.
The Challenge also helped introduce new families to library services, with 5,228 children joining their local library as new members during the Challenge period.
