Summer Side Quest wraps up

As town bustles with last-minute dashes for stationery and backpacks, another successful summer reading programme is wrapping up at the library. Children across the district took part in the popular Summer Side Quest.

They read books, wrote reviews, composed poetry, read to wha¯ nau, followed recipes, dressed up as characters, built fortresses, created very fantastical crafts and sprinkled magic on the school holidays. Children kept track of their quest by earning a gem for every activity they completed. The collectable gems were a hit, children loved choosing the colour and shape and were excited to add some sparkle to their quest map.

We were lucky enough to hear plenty of delightful book reviews, including everpopular children’s classics still going strong, plus some wonderful new recommendations coming through. Picture books, graphic novels, children’s fiction and non-fiction were all represented with a great mix of independent and shared reading. We love that the Summer Side Quest included children of all ages and reading abilities, with many kids also enjoying audiobooks on Libby, Cloud Library and Hoopla.

Alongside the reading and fun that kids had at home or out and about as part of the side quest, we held events at each library with a magical fantasy theme. Some of the best activities were a hit with adults and children alike. We were lucky to have a visit from storyteller Fairy Trina who visited each library where we delved into a magical world of fairies and dragons.

We had many other activities that kept us busy every day. Sticks harvested from an enchanted forest were decorated with thread, wool and gems to become magic wands. Seashells collected from the beach were decorated with paint to become glow-in-the-dark, powerful magical amulets.

Glass jars were artfully turned into delicate fairy houses. Dusty, old books that had been relegated to the free pile in the January book sale, were given a second (or third or fourth) life as a grimoire after being covered in wrinkly dark crepe paper and decorated with gold paint. We crafted dragon eyes from polymer clay.

Unique fantasy world maps were drawn using rice and coffee. We created photo props, painted gingerbread pots, and as usual many wonderful creations were put together with Lego. Children brought their own individual twist to every craft. It’s always delightful to see how their imaginations can extend and enhance an activity.

This truly has been a special

summer reading programme and with the Summer Side Quest and school holidays coming to an end, we hope that

after a magical few weeks, kids are feeling rested and recharged, ready to embark on a new year of reading.