Book Summer Saxony: Reading fun and certificates for young readers!

Book Summer Saxony: Reading fun and certificates for young readers!

The Book Summer Saxony and the Book Summer Junior opened their doors on June 16, 2025 and invite all students between the ages of 11 and 16 to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of books. These initiatives, which extend until August 9th, are intended to stimulate the joy of reading and, above all, to overcome the so-called reading kink. This year, 120 libraries in Saxony, including 12 district libraries in Leipzig, are taking part in the project, which has now been established as a nationwide project since 2012. According to leipziginfo.de, participants can read from a special selection of media and receive a reading certificate if they read three or more books during the program.

A highlight of the book summer events will be the closing event in the Moritzbastei, which will take place on August 22nd at 4:30 p.m. Here all readers can share and celebrate their experiences. In addition, the Book Summer Readers' Prize is awarded, which chooses the participants' favorite title and places a special focus on the latest young adult literature by German-speaking authors.

Junior book summer and reading promotion

In addition to the Saxony Book Summer, the Junior Book Summer is also offered, which is specially designed for primary school children. These little readers also have the opportunity to acquire a certificate and take part in a graduation party. The book summer is not only a reading promotion project, but has also established itself as an important component for strengthening young people's connection to German-language literature. The Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism supports this important initiative, which is carried out by the Saxony Library Association.

From the original 60 participating libraries with around 4,000 readers, the number has increased to 120 libraries with almost 10,000 participants by 2023. The popularity of the project is reflected in the lively participation and the constantly growing interest in promoting reading.

Book Summer Reader Prize and Conditions of Participation

The Book Summer Readers' Prize is an integral part of the Book Summer and is determined in two steps: First, an independent youth jury between the ages of 14 and 18 nominates five titles from the books submitted. Readers will then vote on these nominated titles until the end of the book summer. To ensure that each child only casts their vote once, each participant receives a ballot paper with an individual code. The status of the voting can be viewed online, and the winner will be announced at a closing event approximately four weeks after the book summer. The author of the award title will be engaged for a reading tour in five libraries to further inspire young readers.

For further information about the projects and the conditions of participation, visit the official website of Buchsommer Sachsen.