Snow White, Captain Jack Sparrow, Harry Potter and many more loveable story characters were embodied by preschool readers this World Book Day, celebrated on Tuesday 23 April, as a happy ending to another one of Claremont Library’s famous five-week reading programmes.
“As part of World Book Day, the kids dressed up as their favourite book characters and read books of all kinds. World Book Day is a great way to encourage everyone to read and to share his or her love for books,” motivated Claremont’s Assistant Librarian Nuhaa Portland.
Commemorating this day, the library in collaboration with Athlone’s Smart Steps Academy and Salahudien ECD’s total of about 60 preschoolers embraced this event at The Kids Shack on the Marsh Memorial Children’s Home Estate in Rondebosch.
This five-week reading programme launched on Monday 25 March invited these schools to read a number of phonics and non-fiction books covering each theme these schools focussed on to teach the children the basics of reading.
Smart Steps Academy’s principal Iram Abrahams said this concluded their sixth reading programme with the library over the past few years.
“It has been amazing through all these years and the parents of my school absolutely love it and go all out to participate. As you can see, they’re all dressed to the ‘T’ for this occasion.”
Abrahams said Portland and her fellow team members have gone the extra mile to continue their reading programmes by curating books according to theme and delivering the books at each participating preschool.
“The library even helped each of our kids to apply for a library card. We visit the library at least four or five times a year, and Nuhaa’s team would visit our schools to read and recite nursery rhymes.
“The impact these programmes have is obviously great because my children are able to read and site words and also understand storytelling by pictures. The narration is also very important, the way words are pronounced along with the excitement of the reader’s tone,” the principal shared.
Thanks to free passes at the Kids Shack, a play world with make-believe miniature kitchens, jungle gyms and climbing walls were opened to them as the books were closed for play time. The Shack’s Donovan Schram said he’s grateful for programmes like that of Claremont Library’s encouraging kids to read.
“My wife and I also run an ECD centre and we encourage the young ones to start as soon as possible and reward them for their hard efforts!” Schram shared with People’s Post.
In the end, for Portland, it is not just dressing up that makes World Book Day a fun day: “Throughout the day, children are encouraged to discover different genres of books and develop a passion for reading. “An entire day dedicated to storytelling encourages children to read and explore genres they may have never encountered before.”
The City’s libraries continue to be hotspots in their communities, with gate readings for the financial year to date (July to March) clocking nearly 7,1 million visits.
The number of items circulated or booked out by patrons is more than 4,6 million and over six months between July and December, 18 407 new members signed up.
Library staff also facilitated 5 323 storytelling sessions and 569 reading programmes. These initiatives attracted nearly 33 000 children just in the first three months of this year.
“If anyone has any doubt about a library’s place in society, hopefully, these statistics will set the record straight… This World Book Day we want to encourage everyone to read their way – at their own pace, in their own time, and whatever title or topic tickles their fancy,” said Mayco member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross in a statement released on Tuesday 23 April.
“It’s also important to remember that children live what they learn, so while much of our focus is on literacy in this age group, we as adults need to lead from the front. It is important to read with your children, but also let them see you reading for your own enjoyment. Books and the stories they hold should be lifelong companions for both young and old.”
