Join the Winter Mini Challenge and become a reading hero! (Updated 19th January 2021)

The Winter Mini Challenge encourages children to keep up their reading habits over the winter holidays, with a free-to-access website featuring rewards and incentives for reading and reviewing books.

Over the school holidays children can experience a ‘dip’ in reading skills and learning, and due to the disruption to education caused by Covid-19, this year is set to have an even greater impact on learning loss.

This winter we are very excited to team up with award-winning inclusive publisher Knights Of  to run an Everyone Is A Hero themed Mini Challenge to celebrate heroes in all their forms and keep children reading this winter.

Children can take part in the Winter Mini Challenge by simply reading any books (including eBooks and audiobooks) of their choice, then rate and review them at wintermini.org.uk.

The Winter Mini Challenge starts on Tuesday 1st December 2020 and has been extended to Friday 19th February 2021.

Everyone Is A Hero!

This year’s Mini Challenge features characters from books published by Knights Of, including those from Knights and Bikes (written by Gabrielle Kent; illustrated by Rex Crowle), High-Rise Mystery (written by Sharna Jackson; illustrated by Wumzum), and the Run series (written by Jason Reynolds; illustrated by Selom Sunu).

Knights Of have also created a special booklist of their favourite titles to try during the Challenge. The list is full of heroes that inspire, challenge and push the definition of what it means to be a hero. There is something for every age – from early years to middle grade – and even some recommendations for teens and young adults who’d like to get heroic too!

How can children take part in the Winter Mini Challenge?

The Winter Mini Challenge is run through The Reading Agency year-round children’s website.

To take part, children simply read three or more books – these can be any books of their choice. Every time they finish a book, they add it to their Challenge website profile and leave a short book review.

Reaching their online reading goal will unlock a virtual badge and a special Everyone Is A Hero certificate to print off and keep!

There’ll be a whole host of fun activities, videos and recommendations for great winter reads, plus an exciting competition.

You can browse our catalogues to find books, eBooks and eAudiobooks at devonlibraries.org.uk and torbaylibraries.org.uk.  Our libraries will be featuring fun activities and events on Facebook.

Children can visit the Winter Mini Challenge website at  wintermini.org.uk  from 1st December 2020 to start rating and reviewing their books and enjoying the online activities.

Get Involved – Nominate Your Reading Hero

As part of the Winter Mini Challenge, The Reading Agency are inviting people across the country to nominate their Reading Heroes on social media. You can post a picture, share a story about them, or even record a video about them! Just make sure to get their permission first!

When you post, remember to tag The Reading Agency and Libraries Unlimited in the post and use the hashtags #WMC2020 and #ReadingHero so your posts can be found. At the end of the Challenge, all entries will be entered into The Reading Agency’s prize draw – and the winning hero will receive the Winter Mini Challenge booklist bundle!

Your reading hero can be an individual or a group – whether that’s a teacher, a library, a reading group, a friend, a carer or a family member. It’s up to you! We just want to hear about how people have supported each other with reading this year – whether that’s by helping you to improve your literacy, encouraging you to enjoy reading or recommending you some great books!

The Winter Mini Challenge starts on Tuesday 1st December 2020 and has been extended to Friday 19th February 2021.

Sign up here! wintermini.org.uk

Is your school going to take part in the Winter Mini Challenge?  Schools can find the special resources bundle here.

Artwork credit: Marssaié Jordan, Rex Crowle, Wumzum and Selom Sunu