Summer Reading Challenge Summer

The fun continues throughout August so come in to see us and join in!

The theme for this year's Summer Reading Challenge is Wild World Heroes. Lambeth Libraries in partnership with The Reading Agency have teamed up with WWF UK, the world's leading independent conservation organisation, encouraging young people  to be inspired to stand up for their planet and take action for nature and the environment.

There are loads and loads of events happening throughout the summer holidays so have a look at what you can do on the Lambeth Events webpage. Below are just some of the highlights.

Wild World Heroes with WWF

Thursday 5 August, 11am to 12pm
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

Find out what the Summer Reading Challenge’s Wild World Heroes are fighting for and discover some of the fantastic wildlife we have here in the UK. Explore some of the threats facing our local nature and find out what you can do at home or in your community to stand up for our amazing planet! Ages 4 to 12 years

A Life on Our Planet with WWF

Thursday 12 August, 11am to 12pm
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

Inspired by the recent documentary ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet’ join one of our WWF educators to find out about life of David Attenborough and the changes he’s witnessed on our planet over his lifetime. Discover some of the solutions to help tackle global issues such as deforestation and climate change and the changes we can all make to stand up for our planet. Ages: 7 to 12 years

Penguins and Polar Bears with WWF

Thursday 19 August, 2pm to 3pm
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

Take on the role of polar explorers and discover a world where temperatures fall far below freezing point! Find out how penguins and polar bears are perfectly adapted to their polar environments and learn about threats such as climate change and overfishing which are negatively impacting the polar regions. Ages: 5 to 7 years

Conservation Solutions with WWF

Thursday 26 August, 2pm to 3pm
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

Learn about some of the amazing wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania and recognise the consequences that occur when natural ecosystem connections are altered or damaged by humans. Understand how solutions are being used to manage human-wildlife conflict so that humans and nature can thrive together in East Africa. Ages: 7 to 12 years

If you are not sure what to read for the Summer Challenge, why don’t you collect a mystery bag full of exciting reads to help your reading journey, along with some activity sheets? Just contact your local library for collection details.

Photo by Picsea on Unsplash

Wild World Heroes Mini Challenge for Under 4s.
Under-4s have not been forgotten and can join in too! Pick up a Mini Wild World Heroes collector card, read 6 books over the summer with your child and they will be rewarded with stickers and a certificate.

For more information
For further information on Wild World Heroes visit: Summer Reading Challenge, or contact Sandra Davidson: sdavidson@lambeth.gov.uk

More summer activities for young people...

Institute of Imagination

Virtual reality at Lab Live - Cardboard Weekend Institute of Imagination

Lambeth Libraries have teamed up with the Institute of Imagination, a creative programme for kids, to support learning, experimentation and playing with imagination from home! You can create a microscope, build a digital city, make a lava lamp and much more using everyday things you’ll have at home. Just visit the Institute of Imagination for a full list of the fun experiments you can do.
If you don’t have any of the equipment needed for the experiments, you can borrow a Digital Lending Box from Carnegie or Clapham Library. Contact Rita, Will or Zoey at Carnegie Library or Arthur, Brenda or Christian at Clapham Library.

LEAP Summer Festival

Monday 26 July to Friday 3 September

Join LEAP for a huge range of free fun family events specially planned for children 0 to 3 years old. For full details and bookings visit summer festival of family fun.

Events

Tate South Lambeth Library garden restoration

Saturday 7 August, 12pm to 4pm
Tate South Lambeth Library, SW8 1QP

Gemma and Charlene are local residents who both share a love of gardening and have an education background. Together they have been clearing and cleaning up the garden at Tate South Lambeth Library to make it safe and ready to open. Join them to re-open the garden with a plant and seed swap/sale. Come along and see what’s growing and share your ideas.

They will be holding family activities on:

Monday 9 August, 12pm to 2pm - Creating mini gardens
Monday 23 August, 12pm to 2pm - Creating cress faces and painting stone bugs and garden markers

All welcome.

Oh You Pretty Thing! with VG Lee

Tuesday 10 August, 7pm
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

VG Lee is the critically-acclaimed author of five novels and two collections of short stories. In 2012, Lee was nominated for a Stonewall Award for writing. Join VG Lee to discuss her second short story collection, Oh You Pretty Thing!

Lee is also one of the judges for the prestigious LGBTQ+ Polari Prize. Event organised by the Friends of Carnegie Library

Lambeth LGBTQ+ book club discuss Trumpet by Jackie Kay

Friday 27 August, 7pm 
Online Event: Book via Eventbrite

The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret. Unbeknown to all but his wife Millie, Joss was a woman living as a man. A novel about the lengths to which people will go for love, Trumpet is a moving story of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, of loving deception and lasting devotion, and of the intimate workings of the human heart. Join Lambeth Libraries LGBTQ+ book club to discuss this now classic book.

From Our Friends

Library Hygiene Bank

We are collecting toiletries for those in need at the following libraries: Brixton, Clapham, Streatham, Durning, South Lambeth and West Norwood. When you visit the library do drop off items if you are able to support this project.

This Is Our Place: Nature Writing Workshops

From Sunday 1 August - and throughout the month. For full booking detail visit the Spread The Word website.

This Is Our Place, is a Spread the Word nature writing project celebrating London’s wildlife, nature and the diverse communities of the city through words, in partnership with London Wildlife Trust.  Four workshops will run in-person, and four will run online. Free Events/workshops

Free children’s publishing workshop for aspiring authors of colour

RCW Literary Agency and Knights Of announce the return of a free children’s publishing workshop for aspiring authors of colour, now in partnership with Megaphone.

Panels will include expert advice from key industry figures at every stage of the publishing process, from submission to retailer. Applicants should send a sample of between 1,000-5,000 words of their Children’s or YA fiction along with a synopsis and a brief statement about their eligibility as an author of colour.

The workshop will take place virtually in September 2021, and this year will present the five featured sessions across a one-day format with breaks in between.

To take part, please fill out the form by Sunday 8th August. Applicants must be UK based.

Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour

Application closing date 22 August 

An annual prize jointly presented by Morley College London and the Rachel Mills Literary Agency, awarded to a previously unpublished author of colour.

The prize is intended to nurture and provide opportunities for aspiring novelists of colour, promote diverse fiction across the broader literary landscape of Britain and continue Morley College’s long history of educational excellence, community engagement, and support for social justice. More information and to apply