Space-hop challenge take young readers to infinity and beyond

Record numbers of youngsters, across Manchester, have taken part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

More than 7,500 youngsters signed up to the challenge in  Manchester Libraries during the long school holidays - the highest number  since the challenge started 11 years ago.

Statistics show children's reading ability can drop during the summer holidays and the  idea of the challenge is to keep them reading during the six-week break.

Although youngsters could choose to read whatever books they  wanted, this year's theme was "Space Hop." Libraries across the city  stocked a range of books, fiction and non-fiction, about space and held  events and activities around the subject.

More than 5,000 children aged between 4 and 12 completed the  challenge of reading six or more books and all the successful youngsters  were entered into a grand draw for the chance to win a Nintendo Wii.

Nine year old Vivanthi Uwage, a member of Wythenshawe Forum  Library, was the overall winner and she was presented with her prize at  the library this week.

Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Culture and  Leisure, Councillor Mike Amesbury said: "This has been the most successful  summer reading challenge ever in our libraries. It is a credit to both the  library staff, who have promoted reading as an exciting and worthwhile  activity, and the parents who have brought their children to the libraries  and encouraged them to take part."