As part of their ongoing mission to promote a new generation of lifelong, enthusiastic readers, Bocas Lit Fest, in partnership with Let’s Read TT, took the popular Family Reading Circle (FRC) on a road trip to the St. Helena Community Library on Saturday 28 June, 2025.
At the event, free and open to the public, featured children’s writer and educator Charisse J. Broome, also known as Señora Broome, launched her second book Mango-Mouth Marlon. Suzette Cadiz of Let’s Read TT read from an assortment of books at the St. Helena Community Library to a group of eager little listeners, their parents and caregivers.
Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Programme Manager Melvina Hazard was pleased with the turnout and reception of the FRC. “This is the first stop of our Family Reading Circle road trip with Let’s Read TT. We are working together to encourage more families to read with their children and foster a new generation of enthusiastic young readers. Look forward to a Family Reading Circle coming to you in the future.”
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 last two years, Bocas Lit Fest, in partnership with early literacy advocacy NGO Let’s Read TT, has hosted Family Reading Circles at The Writers Centre and at the annual Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Festival in Port of Spain. The Family Reading Circle initiative fosters a love of reading by encouraging parents and caregivers to start reading with their children from early ages.
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.
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. By extension, this Family Reading Circle road trip aims to encourage more family reading time together.
Through this pilot outreach event — the first of more to come — Family Reading Circle aims 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.
Refreshments were provided courtesy Nestlé (Milo) and Sunshine Snacks.
For more information on upcoming Family Reading Circles, please contact info@bocaslitfest.com.
Photos by Sarai Andrews
