our family literacy event

Unknowingly, we chose the perfect time to visit the Bookman with our grands over the weekend. It was Friday evening...and the Bookman was in preparation mode for a huge family literacy event the next day.

Robert Munsch was the feature author...and his books were on display everywhere. It took only minutes until they had each found their favorite Munsch tale...

...and we settled down for story time.

How fun that Emme and Spencer can now read for themselves...it brings them great joy!

Ryder wandered off to look for the cat...every bookstore has one, right?

Ranen wasn't about to let go of the kitty book she had picked out...but just had to check out what was on all those adult shelves. One hour later...we left with a few Robert Munsch books to take home with us...and everybody was happy.

It's Family Literacy Week here in Canada...and to kick off the week's event our community participated in an attempt to break a Guiness world reading record of some sort. Schools, libraries, literacy groups, families, YMCAs and other organizations all read Munschworks 2 ( a collection of five Robert Munsch stories)...and that was what was about to happen at the Bookman the morning after our visit. Over 190,000 Canadians signed up to participate and break the U.S. record of 78,791 adults and children reading together. We were not signed up...we are not into breaking any records...but we had a fine time reading Munsch to our little munchkins.

I must admit I knew very little about 'our' most famous Canadian author. I mostly knew him as the author of "Love You Forever"...a most beautiful children's story, and one I have given as a gift on several occasions. Munsch’s stories are the most beloved works of Canadian children’s literature of all time, and his books (over 50 of them) have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. Here's the thing...he was actually an American...but moved to Canada at age 30 to work at the University of Guelph, Ontario. He is now the number one selling Canadian author of all time and a member of the Order of Canada.

As I was about to do this post...I checked out his website and read his biography...and had a good laugh. (Check out his biography right here.) Now I know why kids like him...he is just too funny!

I think he might even see the humour in my little story. When our twin granddaughters were about two years old, I decided I needed to add some reading material to Grammy's library, and ordered the Munschworks Grand Treasury. This rather large book has (or had) fifteen of Munsch's favorite children's stories. At the time I bought the book, I was really only familiar with "I Love You Forever"...and found most of the stories in my new storybook a little zany...especially for two-year-olds. The girls, however, immediately decided that it was their favorite book...and their favorite story was one Grammy didn't think quite appropriate. Rather than hide the book...I found a solution.

My treasury now has fouteen stories instead of fifteen (and a wee fringe of paper where pages 55 through 75 once were)...and I never get asked to read "I Have to Go" anymore! I do have two girls who think it is all quite funny though.

In honour of literacy week...let's all do some reading this week. I found an Elizabeth Goudge book at the Bookman...and since I have never read any books by that author...I am looking forward to checking out her historical novel. Go read a book...it may be contagious...and we'll all do our part to promote literacy!

Have fun reading...

P.S. For those who are wondering what ever became of the son with pneumonia...he is doing A-Okay! Right now he is on two weeks of bed-rest...but I don't think he has any idea what that means. Thanks to all of you who prayed for him when he was so very sick!