Robert Munsch's book Mortimer has been selected for the annual TD Grade One Book Giveaway, meaning it will be distributed for free to 550,000 Grade 1 students across the country.
The Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) made the announcement earlier this week.
"In fall of 2019, the CCBC began a search for a classic Canadian book that would appeal just as much to children today as it did when it was originally released. Mortimer was selected for 2020 for its classic status and its longstanding ability to instill a love of stories in children," said the CCBC in making the announcement.
Mortimer, written by Guelph's Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko, was originally published in 1983 and has sold 1.5 million copies. It is the story of a boy who would rather sing than go to sleep.
“I watched Robert Munsch telling the story, Mortimer, to a class of little kids,” said Martchenko in the news release. “When it came time to sing, ‘Mortimer, BE QUIET!’, the kids were so excited they were practically levitating. I knew then that we had a winner and it’s still a winner today.”
Since 2000, over 10 million books have been given to Grade 1 students nationwide through the CCBC program.
Copies will be distributed in the fall of 2020.
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is a national, not‐for‐profit organization founded in 1976 dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers.
