2026 Premier's Reading Challenge
Welcome to the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge
The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely. The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is open to all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 10, in government, independent, Catholic and home schools. Now in its 25th year, the NSW PRC is the largest reading challenge in Australia!
2026 dates
Challenge opens: Monday 23 February 2026
Challenge closes to students: Friday 18 September 2026
Challenge closes to coordinators: Friday 25 September 2026
The 2026 PRC is now open!
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge, we have developed a range of new resources to embed the Challenge and reading for leisure in your school.
The 25th anniversary resource kit provides an overview of all resources and direct links to all editable and adaptable canva designs. More information and all resources can be found on our Teacher Notes page.
Coordinating the PRC for the first time?
Register for our Start of Challenge information sessions via The Arts Unit website.
Public schools: Tuesday 24 Feb 2026, 3:30-4:30. Register here
Non-government schools: Tuesday 03 Mar 2026, 3:30-4:30. Register here
Need support?
Visit our Support site for how-to guides and answers to frequently asked questions. Raising a support ticket via our Support site is the fastest way to get the assistance you need.
Please note: It is not possible to sign into the PRC support site.
Non-government account support: Catholic school coordinators and principals can access account support from your relevant CSNSW Diocese office.
If you are based in an independent school, or if you are unable to receive support from CSNSW, please complete this form rather than emailing the PRC team to avoid delays.
Term 1 book list update is now LIVE
The Term 1 2026 booklist is now live! 462 new books have been added to the book lists. Additional book list updates occur at the start of Term 2 and Term 3.
Click on the image below, or visit the booklists page to check out the new titles added to the PRC booklists this year!
Stay up-to-date with the PRC newsletter
Please refer to your relevant sector's coordinator newsletter for more information:
Non-government schools newsletter
Public schools newsletter
View the 2025 PRC report!
A record 441,462 students participated in the PRC this year. View our detailed breakdown, including the most read books of all time and recently published titles, in our 2025 PRC Report!
2025 Sydney Writer's Festival Author Talks
Head backstage with students from Caddies Creek Public School and Glenwood High School as they interview authors that feature on the PRC booklists! View these talks for free any time on The Arts Unit website. Pair each interview with our downloadable resource kit, packed with engaging activities to spark reflection, creativity and help students discover their next great read.
The 2026 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge is proudly supported by Digital Partner, ePlatform and Supporter, Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).