Children and young people's library services

Your local library has books for children of all ages, as well as range of CDs, DVDs and talking books.

Image promoting Story Garden

Coming Soon! Story Garden

Story Garden - this year's Summer Reading Challenge is all about adventures in nature and the Great Outdoors! Story Garden will start on Saturday 12 July 2025 and you can join in at any time across the summer.

The challenge will be to read six books across the summer holidays and earn yourself a certificate and a medal. Pick up a collector's card from your local library and a set of stickers each time you visit. If you meet the challenge, you can enter our free prize draw.

There will be lots of activities and events at your local library across the summer, so look out for details on our Events page nearer the time.

Summer Reading Challenge Volunteers

If you are 14 years old or over on 1 July 2025, you could be one of our young volunteers and help us deliver the challenge. You can volunteer at most of our libraries and all we ask is that you work for a minimum of 9 hours across the summer and attend a training evening before the start of the challenge.

For more information, a role description, and how to apply, go to our Volunteering in Libraries page

Join the library!

You are never too young to join the library.

Your local library has stories and information for children and young people of all ages.

Go to our Children's and Young People's Catalogue page for the latest promotions and news.

Events and activities for early years and children

Details of all our regular events are below and all our events and individual sessions are on the Libraries Events page where you can also book places. Please do let us know if you can't attend so others can. Unfortunately drop-in spaces may not be available for especially busy events.

Rhymetime

Fun sessions with action rhymes, nursery rhymes and musical instruments, great for developing early reading skills and for all ages to meet and make friends. See some of our past Rhymetimes on YouTube. For ages 0-2.

Storytime

Cosy up with your little one and get to hear great new stories and authors as well as long time classics. Another great chance to meet up and find new friends. For ages 3-5.

Sessions below are term-time only unless otherwise stated. Special events are often held during holidays and during the summer, please check our Events page for these.

Location Day Time Event
The Core Tuesdays 10:15-11:00 Storytime
The Core Wednesdays 10:15-10:45 Rhymetime
Balsall Common Tuesdays 2:15-2:45 Rhymetime (runs in half-terms and Xmas/Easter holidays but not summer holidays)
Castle Bromwich Thursdays 2:30-2:50 Storytime (runs all year round)
Castle Bromwich Mondays 10:30-10:50 Rhymetime (runs all year round)
Dickens Heath Thursdays 10:15-10:45 Storytime & Rhymes
Hampton-in-Arden Tuesdays 2:15-2:45 Stories & Painting (runs in half-terms and Xmas/Easter holidays but not summer holidays)
Hobs Moat 1st Tuesday of month 10:15 - 11:00 Animal Antics (2-5 years)
Hobs Moat Thursdays 10:15-11:00 Storytime & Rhymes
Kingshurst Every other Thursday
Check Events page
for dates		 10:15-10:35 Storytime & Rhymes
Knowle Thursdays 10:15-10:45 Storytime & Rhymes
Marston Green Mondays 2:30-3:00 Storytime
Meriden Mondays 2:15-2.45 Stories & Painting (runs in half-terms and Xmas/Easter holidays but not summer holidays)
Shirley Mondays 10.30-11.00 Storytime
Shirley Tuesdays 10:30-11:00 Rhymetime

Chelmsley Wood has monthly storytimes that are advertised on our Events page.

In addition, the Meet and Play session at The Core Library is an opportunity for young families to meet, relax, chat, play and sing together on Fridays, 10:15-11:15. This session is for families, led by families. Toys are provided and the age group is 0-2 years. Booking is not required for these sessions.

Get Coding

Solihull Libraries run a Code Club for children aged 9 to 13 at The Core Library, come along and learn how to make cool games and animations. Check the Libraries Events page for details or call the library to join up.

You can borrow a Micro:bit, a palm-sized computer, from your local library. You can make all sorts of cool creations, from robots to musical instruments - the possibilities are endless. Ask a member of staff about borrowing one and, for more information, visit the Micro:bit website

Special Activities

Craft Activities

Check our Libraries Events page for craft sessions for special days throughout the year. Or visit the Solihull Libraries Childrens Activities YouTube page for some recorded sessions to do anytime.

More services

Bookstart

Bookstart is all about enjoying and sharing books with your child from the earliest age.

Bookstart gives a gift of 2 free books to every child in their first year and further books to some families when they are 2-4 years old. There are also packs for children with hearing impairments, with a visual impairment or a condition that affects their fine motor controls. There are even dual language books for families that would enjoy reading together in their mother tongue.

Packs are given out by Health Visitors at health checks and through early years settings. You can contact the Bookstart Co-ordinator at libraries@solihull.gov.uk

eBooks and eAudiobooks

You can borrow up to ten eBook titles and six eAudiobooks at a time and keep them for up to three weeks – they return themselves! Authors include David Walliams, Jacquie Wilson, David Baddiel, Suzanne Collins, John Green and many more, so there's something for everyone.

Download your eBooks and eAudiobooks for free from our eBooks page.

Reading Well

The Reading Well collections are endorsed by health professionals and have been created to give access to age-appropriate information for a child or young person you know to cope with a difficult issue such as bullying, death, stress, depression, or illness in the family.

Reading Well is available at The Core Library, Chelmsley Wood Library, Hobs Moat Library and Shirley Library. Some titles are also available at Balsall Common, Castle Bromwich and Knowle libraries.

The Reading Well Collections are:

Reading Well for Children aged 12 or younger

Reading Well - Shelf Help for young people aged 13 to 18

Reading Den for Children who are Fostered or Adopted. Available at Chelmsley Wood Library.