Library membership is free, and so is joining the Library Challenge. Use this map to explore six epic zones across Gloucestershire. Visit libraries and travel through time with stories from the past, present, and future. Let the adventure begin!

https://gloslibraries.uk/welcome-library-challenge

Travel through time, get reading, and earn rewards! 

This summer, Gloucestershire Libraries invite children and families to step into Tales Through Time, a journey across stories, characters, eras, and adventures. From ancient legends to futuristic tales, this year’s Challenge celebrates imagination, creativity, and the power of storytelling. 

How It Works 

• Sign up for free at any Gloucestershire Library. 

• Explore the tasks in your Challenge journal, suggestions are inspired by Tales Through Time, but you can choose anything you’re interested in! 
   

• Complete a task, collect a stamp, and level up! Show what you’ve done to our friendly library team. Stickers, certificates, and lots more surprises await at each level! 
   

• Climb all the way to GOLD level to earn your Tales Through Time medal - and get entered into our prize‑draw giveaway! You could win vouchers or brilliant book bundles! 

Why Take Part? 

• Adventures on Every Page: Explore time‑travelling tasks inspired by stories, eras, characters and creativity. 

• Family Fun: Enjoy activities designed for shared storytelling and reading experiences. 
   

• Exciting Rewards: Earn stamps, complete levels, and unlock badges, stickers, certificates, and a medal for achieving Gold! 

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📚 The Library Challenge 2026: Tales Through Time 
🗓️ Runs 11 July – 12 September 

Calling all readers, adventurers and story explorers!  

This summer, Gloucestershire Libraries invite children and families to take part in The Library Challenge and travel through time, get reading, and earn rewards. 

How to take part: 

• Sign up for free at any library in Gloucestershire 

• Explore tasks your way 

• Collect stamps to unlock Bronze, Silver and Gold 

• Reach Gold to Go All In! 

Find out more: gloslibraries.uk/welcome-library-challenge 

You can also follow Gloucestershire Libraries on social media for updates. 

Instagram 

📚✨ The Library Challenge 2026 ✨📚 
This summer’s theme is Tales Through Time! 

• Free sign‑up at any library in Gloucestershire 
• Explore tasks on anything you’re into! 
• Collect stamps to reach Bronze, Silver & Gold 
• Gold = exclusive medal and entry into brilliant prize draws! 

More info at gloslibraries/uk 

Go All In! #TLCGlos #NationalYearOfReading #GoAllIn2026 

Join us for fun-filled sessions packed with storytime, treasure hunts, crafts, plenty of free books for children to take home and a free lunch. Find us at the following events:

24th July - 10am-12:30pm,

Woodfields Play Area, Cam, GL11 6LU

24th July - 2pm-4:30pm

Synwell Playing Field, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7HQ

29th July - 2pm-4:30pm

St. Michaels Park, Cirencester, GL7 1JT

30th July - 10am-12:30pm

Dolphins Recreation Field, Tetbury, GL8 8AQ

These events are free to attend, reserve your place now via the Gloucestershire HAF website: https://familyhubs.gloucestershire.gov.uk/haf

• Wednesday 4 November – 2 events for KS2 

• Thursday 5 November – 3 events for KS2

• Friday 6 November – 3 events for KS1 

Tickets: £5 per child per event 

Tickets go on sale Monday 6 July – early booking is recommended as events do sell out. To book tickets and for further information, please email Bev at The Sub Rooms: bev@thesubrooms.co.uk. 

You can book in-person tickets with confidence – if you need to cancel for any reason, we will offer to transfer your tickets to digital access. Our full cancellation policy is listed below and on our website. 

Digital-only pass: £35 per class per event 

Perfect for schools unable to attend in person. Our live stream access also allows for rewatching throughout the school year. 

To book a digital pass, please email Shannon at shannon@stroudbookfestival.org.uk with the events you'd like to stream. We'll then share payment information, a book list, and streaming links closer to the Festival. 

500 Words celebrates children's creativity and imagination, encouraging young writers from across the UK to create an original story in 500 words or fewer.

There are two age categories: 5-7 and 8-11 year-olds.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar are not marked - as has always been the case for 500 Words, it's all about our writers' brilliant creativity!

This year, the celebrity judges include Charlie Higson, Francesca Simon, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The bronze, silver and gold winners in each age category will be revealed by the BBC in early March 2027. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

15.09.26 10 - 10.45am

A highly interactive event for students aged 7-11 with both a reading and draw-a-long included. Hosted by read for Good.

01.10.26 9.30 - 10.15am

In this interactive session, Sheena will read from her books, draw live, and show children how she turns wild ideas into brilliant stories. Hosted by Read for Good.

8th October 2026

Celebrate the return to Neverland with authors Katie & Kevin Tsang

Walker Books and Read for Good are SUPER excited to announce that the third annual MICHAEL ROSEN DAY will take place on THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER.  And we would love you to join us to celebrate the nation’s favourite funny poet in this unmissable celebration of poetry and stories!

https://readforgood.org/events/michael-rosen-huge-poetry-party/