Children across Liverpool will be getting musical this summer as part the Summer Reading Challenge.
The 2026 theme, Read to the Beat!, is all about celebrating the joy of music and the power it has to move, inspire, and connect us – all through the magic of reading.
With a fantastic collection of 55 books inspired by music from around the world, children can explore stories, poetry, graphic novels, and non-fiction for all reading levels.
As part of the National Year of Reading, Liverpool’s libraries are encouraging families to make reading part of their summer adventures. Children can sign up at any library, set their reading goals, and enjoy rewards along the way.
It includes picture books, early readers, and middle grade titles, as well as dyslexia-friendly titles. With a mix of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic novels, the collection has been carefully curated to engage young minds with the magic of music.
Musical songwriting sessions, using books and poems to write and record a song with local musician Dan Astles, will take place at each of the city’s libraries over the summer.
They will also be running storytelling and craft sessions with local organisation Steam Engineers, which will include a unique story and related craft activity using recycled materials and will incorporate basic coding games.
Musical song writing sessions timetable
- Monday 6 July: Kensington Library, 4pm – 5pm (age 5+)
- Tuesday 7 July: West Derby Library, 4pm – 5pm (age 7+)
- Wednesday 8 July: Central Library, 11am – 12pm (age 5+)
- Thursday 9 July: Sefton Park Library, 11am – 12pm (age 7+)
- Thursday 16 July: Parklands Library, 10:30am – 11:30am (age 5+)
- Saturday 18 July: Norris Green Library, 12pm – 1pm (age 5+)
- Saturday 18 July: Spellow Library, 2pm – 3pm (age 5+)
- Tuesday 21 July: Old Swan Library, 10:30am – 11:30am (age 5+)
- Wednesday 22 July: Garston Library, 10:30am – 11:30am (age: 5+)
- Wednesday 22 July: Parklands Library, 2-3pm (age 5+)
- Saturday 25 July: Wavertree Library, 11am – 12pm (age 5+)
- Saturday 25 July: Allerton Library, 2pm – 3pm (age 7+)
- Monday 27 July: Toxteth Library, 11am – 12pm (age 5+)
- Tuesday 28 July: Lee Valley Library, 10am – 11:30am (age 5+)
- Wednesday 29 July: Childwall Library, 11am – 12pm (age 5+)
To book on to a session, visit the Council website.
Now in its 27th year, the Summer Reading Challenge inspires hundreds of thousands of young readers across the UK each summer. Last year alone, over 11 million books were borrowed from libraries during the Challenge, including audio and eBooks.
Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Cllr Harry Doyle, said: “Getting children into the reading habit early encourages a lifetime love of literature.
“This year we are bringing the Summer Reading Challenge to life using music, crafts and coding – all things we know young people love.
“Our libraries are a fantastic community resource and are free to use, so the Summer Reading Challenge is a family activity that costs absolutely nothing.”
