Reading to Pets is an annual competition run by Wyndham City Libraries. Parents and guardians from Wyndham are encouraged to enter a photo of their child reading aloud to their pet, for their child’s chance to win a great prize.
Entries for the 2023 competition will open 9am Monday 5 June and close 3pm Friday 23 June. Voting will commence the following week, from 12pm Monday 26 June to 12pm Monday 3 July.
This year, voting will take place via the Wyndham City Libraries website. There are two prizes up for grabs: the People’s Choice, which is counted by popular vote, and the Librarian’s Choice, which is voted by library staff. The Librarian’s Choice prize is chosen based on the quality of the photo and the interaction between child and animal.
The photos will also be shared on the Libraries in Wyndham Facebook page for people to enjoy. To view all of the 2022 entries, you can do so here, and you can also view the 2022 winners down below.
When reading aloud to a fellow person, children can often feel self-conscious as they’re afraid to make a mistake. Reading aloud to an animal can put them in a judgement free situation, thus improving their self-confidence, which in turn can help develop their literacy skills.
2022 Winners
Aarizul reading to Nemo, winner of the most liked photograph
Caden reading to Chikezie, winner of the Librarian’s Choice