LIBRARIES across South Gloucestershire and the South West are taking readers on a journey to new worlds from now until Tuesday, December 30.

This year’s South West Reading Passport challenge is encouraging people to read books they may not have tried before.

Everyone who takes part in the challenge will get a South West Reading Passport to record and review the books they read.

The passport highlights six authors from the area for inspiration and provides reading lists to tempt readers to try something new.

In addition, any library members aged 16 and over who review their reads can enter two prize draws. There will be a regional prize of a £150 book card gift, plus a South Gloucestershire Libraries draw for a £50 book gift card. The closing date to submit any prize draw reviews is Tuesday, December 30.

Communities committee chair Cllr Claire Young said: “The Reading Passport challenge is a great way for people to challenge themselves to read something new, or discover reading for the first time and share some of their favourite books with others.”

South West charity Literature Works has developed a new Reading Passport website where booklists and reviews can be posted online.

Two of this year’s featured authors, Adam Nevill and Gareth Powell, are giving talks at libraries around the area.

Details of these talks, plus many more suggestions of authors to try and details of how to enter the draws can be found on the Reading Passport website: www.readingpassport.org.