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Spirit of BookFest extended to Nanaimo’s school libraries

Participating authors and illustrators donate books
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BookFest has also played a part in school literacy with a new initiative aimed at delivering packages of books to Nanaimo school libraries. Photo submitted

BookFest isn’t until next month, but the reading is well underway.

In advance of the Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival on May 12 in Nanaimo, organizers have ensured some of the featured titles are available at school libraries around the city. The initiative began last year and continued last month.

With books generously donated from each of this year’s 11 authors and illustrators, school district liaison Solveig Davie delivered 21 packages to teacher-librarians in Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

“I had the pleasure of delivering the book sets to elementary school libraries. This was definitely an ‘Oprah moment’ for me as I shared in the excitement of my colleagues,” said Davie in a press release, adding that recipients were “thrilled” with the gift of new children’s books.

It’s hoped that the donations will also helped build excitement around the upcoming BookFest.

BookFest volunteer Donna Baldwin started the initiative last year, with the aim of delivering packages of nine books (one from each of that year’s presenters) into the libraries of local schools. This year, the BookFest team’s goal was to double their donations, a goal they surpassed.

“It is a pleasure for me to be involved with BookFest and to see young people enthusiastically celebrating books,” said Baldwin in the press release.

BookFest, run wholly by volunteers, has now been running for 32 years and is one of the largest and most-celebrated children’s book festivals in the country, according to the release. Authors and illustrators come from all over Canada to attend the festival, and this year’s presenters include Isabelle Arsenault, Cale Atkinson, Kathy Beliveau, Darlene Gait, Kim Soo Goodtrack, Scott Henderson, Qin Leng, Barbara Reid, David Alexander Robertson, Margriet Ruurs, Robin Stevenson, and Faith Erin Hicks.

BookFest runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 12 in and around Diana Krall Plaza. For more information go to http://bookfest.ca.

-submitted