PEEBLES Library was packed with children yesterday (Thursday) to take part in the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge.

The event, run by The Reading Agency in partnership with Tesco Bank, saw 40 youngsters enjoy a morning of storytelling, singing and dancing.

The aim of the day was to encourage schoolchildren to read six books during the summer holidays, a time when children's literacy skills traditionally dip.

With a grant available to libraries taking part in the Challenge, the team at Live Borders put the funding towards a morning with Mac & Bob, by author Alan Windram, which was designed to inspire children and show them just how much fun reading can be.

Ewan Jackson, Chief Executive of Live Borders, said: “This is a great way of encouraging children to read out with their studies. 

"We have already seen fantastic engagement with the project in Live Borders libraries throughout the summer and we look forward to supporting the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge again next year.

The Reading Agency and libraries have been working together to create a new theme for the Challenge and to mark Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday the theme is ‘The Big Friendly Read’ which will hopefully encourage children to rise to the challenge across the summer.

Quentin Blake has designed exclusive collecting cards which feature many marvellous characters created by Roald Dahl and fun activities for the children to collect as they progress through the Challenge.

Adele Mills, Senior Community Investment Manager at Tesco Bank, added: “Reading for pleasure is one of the best ways we like to spend the holidays, so we’re delighted that children got involved in the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland through their local library. 

"The Challenge aims to inspire 40,000 children across Scotland to participate this summer – that’s a lot of children reading for pleasure, which can only be a good thing for them their parents and their future.”