Reading summer in Vienna: Children collect pickles and experience magical adventures!

Reading summer in Vienna: Children collect pickles and experience magical adventures!

The SommerLeseClub in Vienna opens its doors again on June 16th and invites children between the ages of six and 14 to discover and celebrate reading. The campaign runs until September 12th and offers little bookworms the opportunity to collect cool treats by borrowing books and other media. This year, too, the focus is on the Pickerl booklet “Kim's Journey”, which was designed by the illustrator and author Carmen Tung. In the story you follow Kim on a fantastic journey through the jungle and sea and meet magical creatures and pirates along the way.

Participating in the Summer Reading Club is uncomplicated: To receive the special booklet, all children need is a free library card, which is available to everyone under 18 years of age. This card opens the doors to a wide range of media, from books, comics and magazines to eBooks, audio books and even video games. After borrowing a medium, the children can record and evaluate their impressions in writing. For every rating submitted, there will be three surprise stickers for the sticker booklet.

A win for reading skills

“Reading supports language skills and is an important prerequisite for critical and creative media use as well as social participation,” says Elisabeth Fuchs, the education director for Vienna. She emphasizes the importance of reading for the development of children and young people. To promote these skills, participants receive a reading certificate at the end of the campaign, which they can use as proof of their extracurricular reading commitment at school. By participating in the Summer Reading Club, children have the chance not only to improve their reading skills, but also to win interesting prizes, which will be raffled off in a raffle.

In addition, swap meets are organized in the libraries throughout the summer. Here the young participants can exchange the picks they have collected for other materials, which not only promotes exchange among themselves, but also strengthens the relationship with books and media.

A proven concept

The Summer Reading Club has established itself as a popular summer activity since its launch in 2012. According to information from the City of Vienna, over 1,500 children took part last year. The organizers are enthusiastic about the great interest and see this initiative as a valuable opportunity to motivate children to read. Deputy Mayor Bettina Emmerling also emphasizes the social and creative dimension of reading: “Reading stimulates the imagination and promotes the linguistic development of our children.”

For everyone who is now excited about reading and collecting snacks: All information about the Summer Reading Club can be found on the Vienna Libraries website. You simply have to join in - because reading is the best key to an exciting world.