The Henry Bloom Noble Library has launched the 2017 Summer Reading Challenge.

The Summer Reading Challenge asks four- to 11-year-olds to borrow and read any six library books during the summer holidays, a time when children’s literacy skills traditionally dip.

This year’s theme is Animal Agents, based on a detective agency staffed by all kinds of clever animals who are out to crack a case at the library with a little help from their friends.

Tony Ross, the UK’s best-selling children’s illustrator (creator of the Little Princess books, illustrator of the Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon, and of books by David Walliams and Claire Balding), has created this year’s exclusive artwork.

To take part in Animal Agents, all children need to do is to head to register at the library where they will be given a collector folder to keep a record of their reading journey. As children read at least six library books over the summer, they collect stickers which will help them crack the clues and help the Animal Agents find out what’s really been going on behind the scenes.

The Henry Bloom Noble Library is at 8 Duke Street, Douglas.