BIG Summer Read

A Victorian Statewide Reading Program

1 December – 31 January

Research has identified a phenomenon known as the ‘summer slide’, which refers to the loss of literacy skills over the summer holidays when children do not read—estimated on average as the equivalent of two to three months of reading proficiency. Loss of reading proficiency is most acute in children from economically disadvantaged communities. The decline in learning gains is made worse by successive COVID lockdowns.

Public libraries are in a unique and advantageous position to address the summer slide; studies have found that children who receive and read free books over summer experience the equivalent of attending three years of summer school, with the most economically disadvantaged children gaining the most from such initiatives.

A Victorian approach to the summer reading club/challenges typically offered by public libraries will raise awareness of the benefits of reading over summer and will ensure all Victorians have access to resources that have been proven to slow the slide. It also helps position our libraries as vital community resources in early childhood development, helping to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning.

The BIG Summer Read, developed by the Children’s and Youth Services Special Interest Group (CYS SIG) aims to slow the slide by engaging children and their families in a fun and dynamic campaign supported by Beanstack, a user-friendly website (with an intuitive mobile app) that makes it easy to register, track reading and earn digital ‘badges’ as rewards for reaching reading milestones.

Library services across the state participate in the BIG Summer Read each year. The campaign aims to increase library loans, engage young people in reading for pleasure and support literacy development. It is hoped the program will build on the wonderful Libraries Change Lives campaign and improve cross-sector collaboration into the future.

The program starts on 1 December and finishes on 31 January each year.

For all media enquiries please email [email protected]

General FAQs

Is my library service participating?

Yes! All library services in Victoria participate each year. Please contact your local library for more information.

Who can participate?

All children between the ages of 0-18 are welcome to participate! Independent and non-independent readers can log any book they read, that is read to them, or listened to as an audio. We encourage parents and caregivers to continue to read aloud to young people during the summer school holidays and log these books as part of the challenge.