TD Children’s Book Week

This is the TD Children’s Book Week, and twenty-nine English-speaking authors, illustrators and storytellers will visit schools, libraries, bookstores and community centres in every province and territory across the country. The theme for this year is Read a Book, Share a Story. 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of Lillian H. Smith becoming the first trained children’s librarian in the British Empire, and the Book Week theme highlights the important role that librarians play in sharing books and creating lifelong readers.

The library in the poster for this year’s book week is the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library, the branch I am proud to frequent. See the griffin on the right? He’s the very one I think of when I tell the story of my eldest son’s name.

I have to admit, when I heard the theme for this year’s events, I was a bit puzzled. I rather take it for granted that children’s books are, by definition, for sharing. Isn’t that the best part of the whole reading aloud part of the day? Snuggling up and sharing a story. But when I looked closer, I discovered that the books that the organizers want us to share with our children are books about libraries and books about children telling stories. Books about books! What could be more perfect?!

So, pop in to your local library, check out the Book Week site, and see what’s happening, story-wise, in your neighbourhood this week.