Victorian children set to go ‘wild about reading’ in new round of Premier’s challenge

The annual Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge has been launched for 2023, with the theme ‘wild about reading’.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins launched the challenge this morning, promoting the value of reading for children from early childhood all the way through to the senior years of high school, and encouraging families to be more involved in supporting reading at home.  

Artwork to accompany the theme was designed by Kate Isobel Scott, a talented Victorian-based illustrator known for her colourful, quirky and endearing hand-made characters.

For children who are too young to read independently, the Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years encourages them to “experience” 40 books with the help of the caring adults in their lives, making the challenge one which early childhood education and care (ECEC) services may wish to embrace. 

To complete the challenge at all levels, children are asked to read (or experience) a set number of books over the year depending on their challenge level, with their reading efforts recorded online. Picture books, short stories, poems or non-fiction books in any language can be part of the challenge.

The challenge was created in February 2005 to support children and young people’s reading skills, highlight the importance of reading for literacy development and help more Victorians fall in love with reading.

In 2013, the challenge was expanded to include young children from birth to five, in recognition of the strong evidence showing that reading to young children from birth promotes brain development and language learning.

For more information, visit the dedicated Reading Challenge website.