Summer Stars gives children right to read

BALLYFERMOT Library are taking their summer reading programmes to the next level with a writing competition for kids.

Summer Stars is the free national reading programme for children that takes place in all public libraries and online each summer, which runs from June until the end of August 2025.

Each child is invited to sign up at their local library and enjoy reading lots of books as part of this adventure during the summer holidays. Participants are given a Summer Stars Reading booklet to record and track their own progress, make notes and pictures on the books they have read, and log their visits to the Library.

Library assistant Mary Sheehan started working at Ballyfermot Library in January this year, but has already brought new projects to library users, including an after- school writing club for 9–14-year-olds.

“The idea was to build off the excitement that I had with my kids creative writing club, they wanted to keep it going over the summer,” she explained.

“But of course, everyone’s on different holidays, so I thought to give them a goal to work towards, something they could do for fun.”

The summer creative writing competition was open to kids aged 8-12, and Mary said she has received over a dozen entries, incorporating poetry, writing and illustrations.

“We’re roping it into the Summer Stars programme to just encourage more reading and writing, of course, but there’s so many creative kids in the area, and I think they were just excited for the opportunity to submit their work. It’s been really fun to see, we’ve had kids as young as seven write in for it.”

The winners of the competition are due to be announced this week.