CHILDREN are invited to embark on an exciting reading adventure at Crediton Library, with the launch of The Secret Book Quest.?They will join a cast of characters – Pip, Zena, and Libro the cat – on a journey through the library, reading books and collecting stickers to decipher a secret code and win a prize.

The Secret Book Quest will be launching tomorrow, Saturday, November 13.

It is aimed at children over the age of five, with the target of getting them to read 50 books.

Each child who signs up to the Quest will receive a booklet to guide them on their journey. The adventure has been brought to life with beautiful illustrations by designer Emily Fox.

Sue Lee, Library Supervisor at Crediton Library said: “We are delighted to be launching this new reading challenge for children at Crediton Library.

“The Secret Book Quest is a great way to capture children’s imagination with a fun story and puzzles to solve. There is something for every interest and reading level on our shelves. We can’t wait to hear all about the books they read on their Secret Book Quest journeys.”

Lucy Banks, Reading Development Manager for Libraries Unlimited, said: “Libraries across Devon and Torbay have instilled a love of books and reading in generations of children. But we know for 2021’s children, it’s harder.

“They’re faced with multiple draws on their attention, at the same time as their schooling has been disrupted by the pandemic. Many are falling behind with their reading, with government research revealing a loss of 2.2 months in reading for primary school children, and it’s our mission to help get them back up to speed.”

The Secret Quest booklet is full of puzzles, fun facts and activities.

It has 10 themed “zones” for children to travel through such as animals, underwater, space and technology. To complete the Quest and win a prize, they must read five books for each zone and collect all the code-stickers along the way – a total of 50 books.

The final sticker reveals the answer to a puzzle – a secret phrase that they then say to library staff on their next visit to complete the Quest and get a prize. There are two certificates – one is awarded at the halfway point (25 books), and the finisher’s certificate at the end.

The Secret Book Quest has been made possible with funding from Tesco Community Grants and the Unwin Charitable Trust, which supports projects that encourage reading and literacy. It is completely free to take part and all books in the library count including graphic novels and audiobooks.

For more information go to: librariesunlimited.org.uk/secret-book-quest . For children who want to carry on after 50 books there are continuation sheets, book recommendations, extra activities, new challenges and prize draws on the website.

Crediton Library is part of a network of 54 libraries in Devon and Torbay, and four Devon mobile libraries, run by Libraries Unlimited, an independent staff and community owned charity. ?For more information go to: www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/secret-book-quest .