Have you heard the exciting news? Canada has a wonderful reading program with over 270 000 participants and I'm happy to say that the SDG Library is one of them! I first heard about The Forest of Reading 10 years ago, although it originated in 1994. I find the program to be so special because it celebrates Canadian authors, illustrators, publishers, and books. There are 10 different age categories, including one for adults, and 10 Canadian books are nominated for each category.
Let me talk a bit about my favourite age category, The Blue Spruce Award which is for students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2. The books catch our attention with a variety of themes and wonderful artwork. Empathy, family, self-esteem, imagination, community, and courage are just some of the many themes that authors have covered over the years. I have been discovering so many wonderful Canadian authors and illustrators. It's truly a great way to showcase our Canadian talent. The program also encourages participation from dedicated teachers who bring their classes to the library every month, engaging in wonderful conversations while reading these stories.
One of the best parts of this program takes place after reading the 10 books. Children across Canada vote for their favourite book! What better recognition could an author receive than from the young readers themselves? The students take their voting very seriously and seemed to have a very difficult time this year in narrowing their choices down to just one favourite. The winners are announced at the Forest of Reading Festival, held every May at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. It's a fantastic event that brings together book lovers from all over.
This is Canada's largest recreational reading program. Ten Canadian children's authors get nominated each year and children get to vote for their favourite book/author.
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