Summer Reading Challenge

This year, in partnership with Mātātuhi Foundation, we wanted to deliver something a little different: a reading challenge specifically for teachers! We know that teachers are typically time poor during the term, but we also know that teachers role modelling reading for their students is super important. 

We're also hoping to lend teachers a hand to select their class texts for 2024 by using both peer reviews and incentivising the reading of books included in our Reading Stories from Aotearoa New Zealand teacher resource.

The challenge is open to teachers, librarians and school staff from anywhere around the motu. You'll form and join your school's very own team; log your books; accumulate points for every page read; and be in to win fabulous prizes from participating publishers! 

Do e-books and audiobooks count?
Yes - all reading counts! 

Do I have to read books that could be used as class texts?
No - but keep in mind you'll receive double points for each page read from a New Zealand book, which includes every book in the Reading Stories from Aotearoa New Zealand resource.

Do I have to be an English teacher?
No - we think it's important for all teachers to read! The more the merrier.

Will the challenge help me set texts for next year?
We hope so! You can use the Reading Stories resource to read books recommended for class teaching by other English teachers around Aotearoa and log them in the challenge. The resource also contains a teacher-compiled teaching resource for each text that's free for your use. Participating in the Challenge will give you the opportunity to win a class set of your chosen book! 

Speaking of prizes....what are they?
Well, there's the glory, of course! We're also working with publishers to offer a number of class sets of books from Reading Stories: and the very top schools may also receive a Writers in Schools visit from a local author! 

What if I'm the only teacher from my school?
Be brave - go it alone and see how many pages you can rack up! But we'd strongly encourage you to enlist as many colleagues as possible to get a good shot at those prizes. 

Sign-ups for the Teachers Reading Challenge will be available from Monday 13 November 2023.

Our Summer Reading Challenges have previously worked to address the 'summer slide', helping motivate kids from all over Aotearoa New Zealand to read over the summer holidays.

Hundreds of tamariki aged five and up competed in an online competition where they chose a team based on their age, and logged their books to win great spot prizes.

We partnered with a number of great like-minded charities to deliver these challenges, including Kiwi Conservation Club, SPCA, and Duffy Books.