San Pedro children take on secret mission during nocturnal library adventure

Children in San Pedro del Pinatar enjoyed an unforgettable night of clues, puzzles and storytelling as the town’s municipal library was transformed into an adventure playground for young book lovers. The event, called ‘The Secret Library Guard: A Night to Save the Library’, took place on Friday, October 16, as part of the municipality’s programme for Library Day.

Children embark on a secret library mission

The nocturnal activity turned reading into an exciting mission, encouraging youngsters to explore the library in a completely different way. Organised by the Va de Cuentos association, which specialises in children’s literature and reading activities, the overnight experience challenged participants to save the library before sunrise, turning the little ones into ‘Secret Guards’.

Armed only with their curiosity and imagination, the children embarked on a literary treasure hunt, exploring bookshelves, following clues and solving riddles as they worked together to complete their mission.

Clues, puzzles and a literary treasure hunt

The fun continued into the evening, with dinner served inside the library before the young adventurers tackled a final reading challenge. At the end of the experience, each child received a badge, symbolically recognising them as a member of the Secret Library Guard, responsible for protecting the books and stories within its walls.

San Pedro del Pinatar’s celebration of Library Day, encouraging learning and reading

The initiative formed part of a wider programme organised by San Pedro del Pinatar Town Council’s Department of Culture to celebrate Library Day throughout October. Culture councillor Carmen María López visited the start of the activity, which combined games, teamwork and storytelling to encourage children to discover the enjoyment of reading.

The little ones also worked together to write a message to the town’s mayor, Pedro Javier Sánchez, asking him to keep the libraries open. In their message, they described libraries as places where people can imagine, learn, travel through stories and share experiences.

The next edition: Saturday, October 24

A second overnight adventure is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at the Lo Pagan Library, also in San Pedro del Pinatar. This will give another group of young readers the chance to take on the challenge. The programme also includes school activities, creative workshops and literary gatherings for different age groups, bringing the community closer to books, reading and learning.