{content}

Children and young people – library information

Library and homework resources for children and young people, the Great North Lincolnshire Rhyme Challenge, books for mental health and wellbeing, Bookstart and Imagination Library.

Useful library resources for children and young people

Your local library has books and information to help you with your homework. Ask the library staff if you need any help.

If you can’t get to the library you can use our online encyclopaedias and dictionaries. All you need is internet access and your library card number.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Library  contains sections for users aged five to 11 and 12 to 18. You can use it to help with your homework, or just play the games and watch the videos for fun.

You can also access Britannica Junior or Britannica Student

Further information

The Power of Words Festival is back for a fifth year to celebrate the importance of reading, books and words and have a number of free events on offer across North Lincolnshire from the 4 July.

Find out about a host of exciting free events for children on our Family Activities page.

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge ‘Ready, Set, Read!’ is about reading, sport and play, and aims to keep children’s minds and bodies active over the summer break.

Children just need to register for the scheme at their local library and read six books over the summer.

There are some great rewards to pick up along the way, including rucksacks, frisbees and personal fitness trackers.

They will also be able to keep a record of their reads and receive a certificate and medal when they complete the Challenge, with materials featuring characters created by children’s illustrator Loretta Schauer.

Children under the age of four will be able to participate by taking part in a simplified scheme based around sticker collection and a completion certificate, as the rewards are unsuitable for this age group, apart from the rucksack which they will be given on registering with the scheme to keep their books in.

The Challenge runs from Saturday 1 July until Saturday 9 September 2023, in all of our libraries and hubs.

Children registering for ‘Ready, Set, Read!’ will need to be a member of the library as well. If they need to join the library, they will need an adult guarantor if under the age of 16, usually a parent or carer, who will be required to show staff recent address ID such as a driving license or official dated letter.

Rhymes are a fun way for a child to develop language skills, and are  easy to learn as they are often repetitive.  They help develop concentration and listening skills.

The Rhyme Challenge is a fun way to introduce children and families to rhymes.  Rhymes can be shared almost anywhere – in the car, the bath, on a walk, in the garden or snuggling up at bedtime.

  • Each week, click on a new pair of rhymes.  There are five pairs to enjoy.
  • Sing and say the rhymes together with your child.  You can also follow the links to the videos, make some of the crafts, and take part in the activities.
  • When you have finished, contact us at BookStart@northlincs.gov.uk so we can send you a lovely certificate for you to print out and keep. Don’t forget to tell us the child’s name, age and library card number (if known).
  • We would also welcome your feedback; please complete our short feedback form.

Rhymes

You can now borrow from a collection of books which have been carefully chosen to offer support to children, and their carers and parents. The collection includes books on mental health and wellbeing, relationships, feelings, and specific difficulties.

The collection includes resources which are relevant to the particular experiences and needs of looked after and adopted children. It includes support and advice for children and young people who have experienced trauma, as well as a number of other mental health issues.

Books that may help you

The main collection is based in the Children’s Library at Scunthorpe Central, with smaller collections in selected branches. All of the titles can be requested free of charge and sent to a North Lincolnshire library of your choice.

Bookstart is a national programme for every baby in the UK. Your child will receive two free Bookstart packs:

  • When your baby is between six and twelve weeks your health visitor will give them their Baby Pack
  • When your child is three years old their nursery will give them their Treasure Pack

If your child does not get one of their packs, please contact your local library.

If you are a nursery or pre-school and want to find out how to get Treasure Packs for your children, please contact us.

Bear’s Reading Adventure

Bear’s Reading Adventure helps encourage families to visit libraries and read together every day. Please ask at your local library if your child is under the age of five and would like to take part.

Imagination Library

The Imagination Library is open to children aged from birth to four years 10 months, who live in North Lincolnshire. Each month a carefully selected book will be posted to your child. The book is totally free. Your child will get a book every month until they are five years old.

For more information ask at your local Children’s Centre or visit our Imagination Library page.

The national Reading Well scheme recommends a Shelf Help booklist for young people aged 13 to 18, offering advice about issues such as bullying and exams, as well as mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The titles have been chosen and endorsed by professionals.

Copies of the titles are available for loan from Scunthorpe Central and some of our branch libraries. Please check our online catalogue for availability.

Reading Well has developed a booklist [PDF, 237Kb] to help children get a deeper understanding of the effects of bullying and to start conversations on the topic. It includes six picture books, six suggestions for children in Key Stage 2 and six books for young people (13+).

Copies of the titles are available for loan from Scunthorpe Central and some of our branch libraries, and can be requested free of charge. Please check our online catalogue for availability.

Reading Well collections are also available as a deposit loan to organisations on request.

Advice and support can also be found on the website Life Central, which can help with issues such as bullying and exam stress.

Reading Well has developed a booklist [PDF, 1.36Mb] to help children with a range of issues, including self-esteem, anger and mindfulness. Copies of the titles are available for loan from Scunthorpe Central and some of our branch libraries. They can be requested free of charge. Please check our online catalogue for availability.

If you need help choosing what to read next there are all sorts of things to try:

  • If you’ve read and enjoyed a book that was part of a series, then try other books in that series
  • If you’ve read and enjoyed a book by a particular author then try other books that they have written. Most authors will have their own website, or a section on their publisher’s website
  • Look in the back of books you’ve already read to see if they list other books to try
  • Ask your friends for books they’ve enjoyed
  • Ask the library staff to recommend something
  • Browse the library shelves
  • Find out who published some of your favourite books and visit their website
  • It’s never too early to start sharing books with your child. Even if they may not understand the words, they love hearing your voice.
  • Choose books with bold bright pictures. You don’t have to read the story, you can talk about the pictures.
  • Babies and young children love books with rhyming text. Why not try ‘Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’ s Dairy’ or ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.
  • Books with flaps or textures, such as ‘That’s Not My Puppy’, are a great way to grab a child’s attention.
  • Children who have been used to books at an early age learn to read more quickly at school so let your child spend time simply exploring books.
  • You might get bored of reading the same book over and over again, but your child won’t. Hearing the same story time after time helps your child’s language skills develop.
  • Your local library has hundreds of books that are ideal for sharing with young children and babies – and it’s free to join and use. Even when your child can read by themselves you can still spend time reading together.

Children’s Book Sequels

LoveReading4Kids

Reading Zone

Contact

Scunthorpe Central

library.enquiries@northlincs.gov.uk
01724 860161

Please see individual libraries for their direct contact details