Gather around, bookworms! The summer reading programme, BOB Squad, is back. 

The free, take-home reading programme is aimed at primary school aged tamariki keen to spend their summers diving into the ‘Bag of Books’, or BOB. 

This year’s theme is Kaitiaki Moana - Ocean Guardians and the goal is to encourage children to immerse themselves in books – and to have fun doing so. 

There are also activities or missions for tamariki to complete, including a word find, beach yoga, creating a story, a reading challenge log… and more.

“The Bob Squad booklet is full of fun activities you can do with your children over the summer holidays. Bring your whānau into your local Western Bay library to sign up!” says Customer Services Manager Valeta Duncan.

Now in its eighth year, the programme began with our libraries giving decommissioned books to schools to share with their students.

It has since evolved to a take-home booklet, with more than 400 young readers having registered to take part in 2022. 

As part of the programme, tamariki can log their reading, and for every hour of reading they get an entry into a prize draw, with prizes including books and gift cards. The last day for check-ins for the BOB Squad booklet is 5pm, Tuesday, January 24..

Those who take part will also receive an invitation to a finale party to round off the programme with some kai and themed games and activities.

To join the celebration, all our readers need to do is complete at least one of the challenges in the BOB Squad booklet. 

And library staff haven’t forgotten about the teen readers. Teens can pick up an entry form for the Teen Reading Challenge this summer. At the end of the summer, all the entries will go into a prize draw.  

Write, draw, craft…

Looking for something creative for your tamariki to do these holidays? They've got you covered too.

Western Bay libraries have free Take and Make Craft Kits which you can pick up and take home with you.

Plus, all of the libraries will have craft activities on during the month of January, so come along to join in the fun:

• Tuesdays 10am-3pm in Katikati, from January 9-30 
• Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-3pm in Te Puke, from January 9-25
• Wednesdays 10am-3pm in Ōmokoroa, from January 10-31
• Fridays 10am-3pm in Waihī Beach, from January 12 - February 1 

Or children can show off their colouring-in skills by printing off one of the Jellyfish or Dolphin pictures from the library website  and entering in the holiday colouring contest, which runs until 12 noon on Saturday, January 27. You can also pick up printed copies at your local Western Bay library.

And young wordsmiths and artists wanting to create something unique might like to enter the ‘Imagine Your Future District Competition’, which runs until 5pm on Monday, January 29.

"We are looking for poems, short stories and drawings, which will have the chance to be published as part of our plan for what we want to achieve for our community in the future," says Valeta.

Western Bay of Plenty library locations:

• The Centre - Pātuki Manawa, 21 Main Road, Katikati 
• Ōmokoroa Library and Service Centre – 28 Western Avenue, Ōmokoroa
• Te Puke Library and Service Centre – 130 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke
• Waihī Beach Library and Service Centre - 106 Beach Road, Waihī Beach

Please note: Western Bay libraries will be closed from midday on Friday,22 December 22 and reopen regular hours from Monday, January 8. Regular library hours can be found here.