People are being encouraged to enter The Great Te Aka Mauri Winer Reading Challenge with the incentive of prizes and a change to reduce overdue fees.

The challenge is for people aged 0 to 18 years and involves people marking off suburbs on the entry form map every time they read or are to read for every 15 minutes time slot.

The Great Te Aka Mauri Winter Reading Challenge starts soon and children will be encouraged to read or be read to for at least 6 hours over the challenge period which runs from 29 June to 4 August, says a statement from Rotorua Library.

"There are some great prizes up for grabs for those who take on the challenge and if you have overdue fines on your library card, you can use your reading minutes in lieu of payment."

Kylie Holmes, Youth and Early Learning Lead at Rotorua Library, is hoping lots of tamariki take up the opportunity to enter the challenge and if they have fines on their card, read them away too.

To find out more about The Great Te Aka Mauri Winter Reading Challenge go to the library website or pick up an entry form at the library.