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Children and young people – library information

Library and homework resources for children and young people, 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, your library card number and PIN.

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

Summer Reading Challenge

Children at all of our libraries and community hubs enjoyed the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, Story Garden.

Children under the age of 16 who are not already library members just need an adult carer or parent to act as a guarantor for library membership before they sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge.

Children need to read six books over the summer, to gain stickers, incentives, a medal and certificate. Along the way they can discover new books, enjoy visiting the library and take part in linked activities.

The Summer Reading Challenge for 2026 will be announced on this page and on the Libraries Facebook page.

Let's Rhyme Together

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.

Rhymes can be shared almost anywhere – in the car, the bath, on a walk, in the garden or snuggling up at bedtime.

Families can borrow or reserve a ‘Let’s Rhyme Together!’ bag from any North Lincolnshire Library. Each bag contains puppets, rhymes and ideas sheets to help bring nursery rhymes to life.

Ask at about our ‘Let’s Rhyme Together’ bags at your local library.

Reading Well for children and young people

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 and Imagination Library

Delivered across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Bookstart programme contains books, resources and activities that encourage and support family reading for young children at different stages as part of our early years reading journey.

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.

Shelf Help

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.

Anti-bullying

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..

Reading Well for children

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.

Tips for young readers

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

Websites about reading

  • 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