By:Curtis Morton
Charlestown-Nevis-Mrs. Palsy Wilkin, Principal Education Officer on Nevis, revealed on Tuesday that the Primary Schools on Nevis are all geared up to participate in the annual Rainforest of reading book festival.
RAINFOREST OF READING is a book festival featuring 12 award-winning children’s books from Canada, which has planted its roots in schools throughout the Eastern Caribbean starting in Saint Lucia, Grenada, Montserrat and Nevis.
The three-week event will engage 4,000 Grade 3 to 5 students in over 100 primary schools. It is the largest literacy initiative ever undertaken in the region
The festival grew from the experience of Sonya White, a special education teacher in Guelph and her husband, Richard Clewes, who collected over 13 tons of books (about 130,000 titles) this year for Caribbean schools through their charity, One World Schoolhouse Foundation.
This year’s nominees include Richardo Keens-Douglas, a Grenadian-Canadian and author of The Nutmeg Princess. Nominees were selected by local Ministry of Education literacy co-ordinators from a list of 250 Canadian children’s books.
Mrs. Wilkin revealed the twelve books chosen for this year’s activity and the schools that will focus on them:
• Bee Yourself” by Kerry Sather. Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing-Maude Cross
• “Ella’s Umbrellas” by Jennifer Lloyd. Simply Read Books-JLPS
• “Gift days” by Kari-Lynn Winters. Fitzhenry & Whiteside–EPPS
• “Jack the Bear” by Christina Leist. Simply Read Books-STPS
• “Stanley’s Little Sister” by Linda Bailey. Kids Can Press-IWPS
• “The Matatu” by Eric Walters. Orca Book Publishers-St.James’
• “The Nutmeg Princess” by Richardo Keens-Douglas. Annick Press-CPS
• Peter’s Pixie—CPS
• Bruno and the bees-VOJN
• “Today, Maybe” by Dominique Demers and Gabrielle Grimard. Orca Book Publishers-Montesorri
• “Wishes” by Jean Little. North Winds Press-Nevis Academy and Cecele Browne Academy
The schools in Nevis will use the books creatively to ensure that the students in the grades of focus from 3 to 5 are immersed in reading. The objective is for all of the students to become proficient readers.
A number of related activities will take place between Wednesday 4th and Friday 6th November:
Wednesday 4th November-Education officials and representatives from Rainforest for reading, will visit schools across the island
Thursday 5th November-A rain forest reading run in the morning and the child friendly relay in the afternoon.
Friday 6th November-culminating with a much anticipated book festival march from the former site of the Artisan village, through Main Street in Charlestown and climaxing at the ET Willet Park. The march will commence at 9 am.
At the ET Willet Park, various reading booths will be set up and the general public will be able to see and hear the students first hand, exhibit their reading skills.
Mrs. Wilkin is asking the general public to support the children in this endeavour.