Third Annual Come Read With Me! Contest To Be Launched

Wendy Singer
Contest Coordinator

Children in the English language public school system are turning off their computers and picking up their books! Registration for the third annual Come Read With Me! contest is well underway, and is going strong.

The Come Read With Me! contest is a literacy competition open to all Kindergarten and elementary school children in the English language public school system. The contest will be launched on Family Literacy Day (January 27th, 2005) at Coronation Elementary School, with Global Television's Richard Dagenais covering the event.

We challenge all eligible students to participate, have fun while learning, and even win fabulous prizes of books for themselves and their school libraries.

We are pleased to announce that Marie-Louise Gay, Quebec's award-winning children's author and illustrator will join us this year as Honorary Chair of Come Read With Me! This treasured author has written and illustrated many books for children in both English and French, including Good Morning Sam and Stella, Princess of the Sky, and has illustrated over many others. Marie-Louise will be available for our special events, will lend her name to public relations activities, and will be a part of our distinguished panel of judges.

The contest will be held between January 27th and April 15, 2005, and is a classroom-driven activity. Teachers will submit the work of six of their students to the Come Read With Me! contest, which will be judged by our panel of judges. Winners will be chosen and awarded gift certificates for books. The schools of winners will also receive generous gift certificates for books. All students who take part will receive a Certificate of Participation.

It's a win-win situation! At least, students will have read a great Canadian story; at best, libraries in the English-language public school system will flourish!

The love of reading needs nurturing, tender loving care, and motivation, and this is what Come Read With Me! hopes to provide.

If you are a teacher, why not register your class for this literacy competition. This contest is classroom based, and submissions will only be accepted if they are sent by a teacher in the English-language public school system. Take advantage of this contest, not only to promote literacy amongst our youth, but also to support the wealth of talented Canadian authors.

Canada's children's book publishers are providing us with wonderful publications. Our talent base is extremely rich, there's almost no reason to look beyond our borders for excellent children's literature. From Robert Munsch to Margaret Atwood, Jennifer Rae and Phoebe Gilman, and right here in our backyard, Roslyn Schwartz and of course, Marie-Louise Gay, there is much to be enjoyed!

Working together, we can make great strides in preserving the art and love of reading, and ensuring that books are desired and accessible to children in Quebec. We look forward to reading with you and your students!

Application forms are available on the Come Read With Me! website, by calling (514) 369-4447 or by e-mail at crwm@nald.ca. Please come visit our website at www.nald.ca/lpq/read.htm.