The popular Family Reading Circle – hosted by Bocas Lit Fest, in partnership with Let’s Read is headed to the St Joseph Old Road Community Centre, Piccadilly St, East Dry River, Port of Spain. The lively read-aloud and interactive session will be held on Saturday 22 November from 10am to 12pm.
Featured Writer, Mary Cuffy will be present to read from her Ladybug series, which includes Lola and the Dancing Ladybugs, Lola and the Magic Sticks, Lola and the Fascinating Cocoa Bean. She has also published a recipe book Bake the Cocoa Cookie with Lola.
Mary is a storyteller whose work focuses on literacy and music in early childhood. She lectures at the UWI Open Campus, in the Certificate and Bachelor in Education in Early Childhood Development and Family Studies programme.
Promoting a love of reading in youngsters is a constant work in progress at the Bocas Lit Fest, achieved through a year-round programme of activities dedicated to developing young readers and writers. Over the past two and a half years, they have been partnering with literacy advocacy NGO Let’s Read to host scores of Family Reading Circles at The Writers Centre.
Community outreach has historically been a staple of the Bocas Lit Fest’s Children’s programme, as exemplified by the nationwide Children’s Storytelling Caravan. Earlier this year, a pilot outreach session was held at the St Helena Community Library.
These Family Reading Circles provide an avenue for parents and caregivers to encourage their children (7 years and under) to read, in a space with fellow parents, caregivers, and children. It is the first step on the path to making children lifelong readers one book, one child at a time. Reading together as a family is the first step towards developing a lifelong habit of reading, empathy, and compassion. Storybooks open worlds of imagination for young children.
By extension, the upcoming Family Reading Circle to the St Joseph Old Road Community Centre, Piccadilly St, East Dry River, Port of Spain continues to provide the resources, motivation and support for families to gather as a community to build on literacy, social cognition and behaviour through reading for pleasure independently and on a regular basis.
Let’s Read will bring along their large children’s book library for the little ones to explore with their adults.
For more information on upcoming Family Reading Circles, please contact melvina@bocaslitfest.com.
