The HELL reading challenge is back after four flaming hot years! That’s right, you read some books and we give you free pizza – no evil twist. Each kid receives a reading card consisting of seven books that need to be clipped off in order for them to claim their free 333 kids pizza.
In 2019, over 900 organisations participated in the HELL reading challenge, resulting in over 2 million books being read. That’s epic and we’re stoked to be able to help encourage kids to get involved and make the most of what reading can offer – improving literacy, provoking imagination, educating and challenging kids - now even feeding them too!
How it works
To earn a free pizza, kids get a stamp for each book read on their HELL ‘pizza wheel’ - a cardboard disc distributed by participating schools and libraries. The completed wheel, approved by a teacher or local librarian, can then be taken into a HELL store to be redeemed for a freshly cooked 333 HELLthy pizza.
More chapters left to write
Each year we see an increase in schools, libraries and organisations getting involved in the HELL reading challenge, which shows us how valued it is in communities and a great opportunity to get kids reading. We’re very proud of the success of this initiative and are eager to see how it grows in 2020 and the years to come. See what some of the teachers and librarians have to say about the program.
Testimonials
“The Hell Reading challenge carries an important message of spreading the awareness of reading whilst encouraging students by using pizza as incentives. It is such an innovative idea and it works, it has given them a purpose to read!”- Vanessa Jansz, a teacher at Arahoe School, Auckland.
“We have increased independent reading by 100 per cent, the motivation of the students and enthusiasm to complete this challenge has been truly amazing. We are a low-decile school and buying resources is a major. Hence, encouraging students to read with few resources takes its toll, this year I have chosen a few books with the help of the students and they have been a great success.” – Nicki Gillson, Ihub Manager, Tuakau College, Tuakau.