Sonic sleuths sought for Western Bay libraries’ holiday reading programme

Avid library user Shavannah checking out one of the BOB Squad booklets.

With the school summer break all but here, staff at Te Puke Library are seeking avid bookworms and sonic sleuths who are on the lookout for an exciting summer reading challenge.

Western Bay of Plenty District Libraries’ BOB Squad programme is a free take-home reading challenge aimed at tamariki of primary school age, with this year’s theme being ‘Sonic Sleuths’, putting an audible, musical twist on encouraging children to grow their reading skills.

Council’s customer services manager Valeta Duncan says BOB Squad is a much-loved feature of the libraries’ summer schedule.

“We’re looking forward to seeing local tamariki getting creative with the musical theme this year — they’ll be having so much fun they won’t even know that they’re learning,” she says.

“Programmes like BOB Squad are fantastic, as they allow us to connect with young people and help to bring more whānau into our libraries, taking advantage of all we have to offer.”

Your missions, should you choose to accept them…

Step one: Collect a booklet at your local library from this week. Inside the booklet, you’ll find 14 interactive missions to complete by January 23.

Step two: Choose your missions and do them! Complete at least one mission or three mini missions to get an invite to one of our big finale parties.

BOB Squad missions include making a musical instrument, going on a sound hunt, creating sound effects, vibrations, and soundwaves, plus more!

The booklet also includes 25 mini-missions such as listening to the wind in the trees or learning to whistle a tune, and comes with a reading log that has checkboxes for every 10 minutes spent reading. Readers earn an entry into a prize draw after every hour spent with their nose in a book.

Step three: Get your missions stamped at the library by January 23 and pick up your invitation to the finale party at Te Puke Library on January 26.

The finale parties are going to be lots of fun, headlined by an exciting show from the Travelling Tuataras — a duo who bring stories to life through interactive performance, utilising masks, colourful props, music, songs and puppets.

Rangatahi haven’t been forgotten. Check out the Teen Summer Reading Challenge — each time you read and rate four books, you’ll be entered into the draw to win one of three $50 prezzy cards. This one is designed for Years 7-13.

To join the challenge, just download Beanstack from the App Store or Google Play Store and sign up with the Western Bay of Plenty Libraries. Entry forms are also available on request.

Other school holiday activities at our libraries include a colouring contest with two pictures to choose from and a take-home craft kit to make your own tambourine with.

These programmes have all been developed by the district’s children’s librarians and are available at our libraries across the Western Bay of Plenty.