PRH Canada Challenges Children to Read Books by Black Authors
First Book Canada, along with Raptors 905 (the development team for the 2019 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors) and Penguin Random House Canada, issued a challenge for Canadian fifth-graders to read for total of 905 minutes this summer. The program delivered free books to some 200 students, mostly from Ontario, with the goal of enticing them to read a book a week for five weeks, starting on July 27 and ending on September 3. The books offered were all by Black authors and provided by Penguin Random House Canada. They were: Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott, Clean Getaway by Nic Stone, What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado, No Small Potatoes by Tonya Bolden, and Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson.
The program offered students online sessions with the authors, with Raptors 905 head coach Jama Mahlalela, and with administrators from the Festival of Literary Diversity, a literary festival focused on diversity and inclusion in Brampton, Ontario. Participants are expected to write short reflections on the themes of the books they have read.
“We’re so pleased to be a part of this program and to be able to give kids access to these wonderful authors and their books,” said Beth Lockley, Penguin Random House Canada v-p of marketing and communications, in a statement. “It’s so important that kids see themselves and their experiences reflected in the authors, characters, and stories they read, stories which, at their best, spark young readers’ imaginations and inspire them to dream without limits. Best of all, the Raptors 905 Summer Reading Challenge represents a chance for kids to come together and share their responses to these books during what has been an especially isolating time for them—a perfect illustration of the power of reading to connect us.”
IBBY Fundraiser
Patricia Aldana, publisher of Greystone Kids imprint Aldana Libros and chair of the International Board on Books for Young People Trust, has put together a fundraiser called “Scarves for IBBY.” The project produced limited-edition scarves designed by 10 Hans Christian Andersen Award-winning book illustrators. The illustrators who designed scarves are Albertine (Switzerland), Quentin Blake (U.K), Robert Ingpen (Australia), Roberto Innocenti (Italy), Roger Mello (Brazil), Farshid Mesghali (Iran), Květa Pacovská (Czech Republic), Igor Oleynikov (Russia). Peter Sís (Czech Republic), and Lisbeth Zwerger (Austria).
The silk scarves are manufactured in Korea by Nami Island and sell for $200 each, with money going to support IBBY’s work around the world. They go on sale on September 2.
New Video Portal for Canadian Kids’ Books
With Canada coping with lockdowns, bookstore closings, and distance learning like much of the rest of the world, the Children’s Book Council of Canada has introduced Bibliovideo, a YouTube channel focused on children’s books. Videos are in English and French and feature a wide range of content, including authors reading from their books, interviews, lectures, reviews, book trailers, information for educators and new residents of Canada, and virtual events. Two new videos are posted per week; authors, publishers, and affiliated organizations are invited to produce and submit their own videos for consideration. In all more than 50 videos have been uploaded since the site was announced in late April.
The project is the first step in a long-term digital strategy led by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre that includes the Association of Canadian Publishers/49th Kids, Canadian School Libraries, CANSCAIP, Communication-Jeunesse, and IBBY Canada.
