Reading challenge adds book trip
Children taken on a virtual book trip around NZ
New Zealand’s rich landscape, its people and the authors who write about it are taking centre stage in a new reading initiative being rolled out by HELL to help lift declining reading rates.
Building on eight successful years, The Great NZ Book Trip is a brandnew addition to the 2022 HELL Reading Challenge and is designed to take children on a virtual book trip — or relive their own road trips — around Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Celebrating Kiwi authors and their stories about New Zealand, it features comprehensive unit plans created alongside the New Zealand curriculum for teachers to use in classroom learning, live readings by awardwinning authors, and an interactive map to help children chart their own journeys.
The Great NZ Book Trip is available to all schools and libraries participating in the 2022 Reading Challenge.
HELL marketing manager Siang Tay said the Book Trip is a fun way to get tamariki interested in reading and learning more about the places they may have visited since Covid closed borders.
“Reading needs to be fun, and the Reading Challenge has always been about encouraging children to read more. Classroom learning has been significantly disrupted since the pandemic began. In launching this we want to make it even easier for teachers and schools to integrate the Challenge into everyday learning. We
also want to encourage children to discover and learn more about New Zealand’s incredible authors.”
The Reading Challenge has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2014 and is one of New Zealand’s most successful national reading initiatives — with more than two million books being read by children since its inception. Students taking part in the challenge need to read seven books to complete their pizza wheel, which they can then redeem for a free kids’ pizza at HELL.
The New Zealand Book Awards Trust administers the Reading Challenge alongside the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adul.
NZ Book Awards chairwoman Nicola Legat said they’re focused on encouraging more children to read.
“What better way to do this than with an initiative that celebrates our homegrown authors and their wonderful books, many of which have featured in our annual book awards. We salute HELL for funding this additional layer of engagement that will complement the 2022 Reading Challenge and awards, as well as our Books Alive author event programmes.”
Authors Tania Roxborogh and Kate Parker — both double-winners at the 2021 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults — will host two of the first live author readings in May and June. Children will also have the
opportunity to interact and ask questions of the authors.
Tay said Aotearoa has many stories to tell and hopes travelling around the motu by book will inspire a generation of avid readers.
“We’ve all been exploring our backyards more due to Covid. We want to connect tamariki with their journeys through the eyes of our award-winning authors, too, unlocking destinations and adventures that every child can experience while establishing a lifelong love of reading.”
To learn more, visit HELL Reading Challenge: https:/ /www.nzbookawards.nz/newzealand-book-awards-forchildren-and-young-adults/ the-hell-reading-challenge/