After her one-day event celebrating Canadian Children’s Book Week had to be cancelled as a result of the pandemic, local publisher Lisa Browning organized a week-long online event to celebrate Canadian literature for children.
The event that runs from May 2 to May 9 is a national celebration of Canadian children’s books and the importance of reading in Canada.
“I’m having so much fun. I’ve never had this much fun before,” said Browning when transforming the one-day event into a week-long series of stories published on YouTube which will see 11 local authors reading 12 books published in Saplings, the children’s division of her One Thousand Trees publishing house.
Details of the YouTube channel will be shared closer to week on the Saplings website.
“My whole purpose behind creating Saplings years back is that I am so passionate about storytelling as a means of empowerment not just for adults but certainly for children,” said Browning adding that by allowing children to illustrate some of the books in her company, they’re able to have an active role in publishing.
Browning also launched a Puzzle of Peace challenge on her website which calls on children to write a response to a poem called Puzzle of Peace written by Margaret-Ann Brix and seemingly describes the current COVID-19 situation the community finds itself in where everyone is part of a large puzzle, each person with their own purpose and place.
“I’m also going to publish all the responses into a book,” said Browning about the responses from the poem. She says she also plans on donating the proceeds toward a relief effort related to the pandemic.
Browning said because families and children are isolated right now, it’s important to connect in any means we can.
“Certainly creativity has always been for me a way to deal with difficult situations so this is just an extension of that,” said Browning.
Brownings event celebrating Canadian Children’s Book Week will see the storytime from the following authors:
Barbara Andrew - A Dragon Named Naturally Speaking
Malcolm Bernstein - Benjamin
Lindsay Brant - Sammy the Sensitive Seal
Margaret-Ann Brix - Grampa's Butterfly
Don Callahan - Hazel Grace and the Magic Blanket
Brenda Cassidy - Who Needs Little Brothers Anyway?
Brenda Cassidy - Who Needs Little Sisters Anyway?
Peggy Dietrich - The Women in the Moon
Michelle Nogueira - My Parents Aren't Noobs
Cynthia Spring - 7 Suitcases
Heather Warren - The Stellar Queen of Oaxaca
Sandra Wilson - Courage for Carly
