Sir Jim Paice is supporting a campaign run by The Reading Agency to encourage primary school children to join their local library and take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge,

Research shows the Summer Reading Challenge increases children’s reading range and prevents the dip in children’s literacy levels during the long break from school.

The Summer Reading Challenge got a record 810,000 children reading in the summer holidays in 2013.

Children will also be encouraged to share their love of reading by recommending a book to friends and family with a campaign called ‘pass-it-on’. The campaign is intended to inspire them to share their reading choices.

Sir Jim, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, said: “I hope parents, grandparents and carers will take their children to the library to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge.

“It is free, inclusive and, crucially, it makes reading fun. Last year 5,851 children in Cambridgeshire took part in the Challenge. I hope we can increase that number this year and show just how valuable local libraries are to our communities.”

Children can go on the website summerreadingchallenge.org.uk to create a profile, chat about books, and get help on what to read next, via the digital book sorter which already offers over 300,000 peer to peer children’s book recommendations in child-friendly categories.