MONTREAL -- Is it possible to make Quebec authors shine while giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds a taste for reading and dreaming?
It is indeed possible this year because two initiatives are joining forces: the "August 12, I'll buy a Quebec book" (j'achète un livre québécois!) and "Gift of Reading" movements.
"Two birds with one stone," said actress Salomé Corbo, spokesperson for the Literacy Foundation's Gift of Reading program.
The reading alliance is a joint initiative from the Foundation and its partners: Archambault, the Quebec Public Libraries Association, the Quebec Booksellers Association, Coopsco, Les Libraires and Renaud-Bray.
The August 12 movement has rallied Quebecers in recent years, so the organization thought to seize the opportunity of all those people who go to the bookstores on that day to suggest that they buy a book for a young person from an underprivileged area at the same time?
"We have such a vibrant, wonderful pool of authors in Quebec, and so do those who write children's literature," said Corbo. "Normally, the Gift of Reading initiative takes place in the fall, but this year, with COVID-19 still making things uncertain, the foundation thought it wise to move it up, while the bookstores are open and the donation boxes are there. Let's make the most of it."
Corbo, who gained popularity for playing Caroline in Unité 9, has been the spokesperson for The Gift of Reading for several years.
She has seen children from 0 to 12 years old receive a book, which they look at as they would a precious object, she said.
"First, it's a new object. And they don't have many new objects," she said. "Most kids say, 'Is it for me? Forever' They are very emotional, very touched to receive a gift from a stranger."
She added that being given books stimulates curiosity in the young people.
"It's beautiful to see their interest sparked by a book. We want to be (Romanian gymnast) Nadia Comaneci. You want to be a geologist," said Corbo, adding that it's important to plant the seed of literacy very early.
She encourages donors not to forget the 0 to 5-year-olds, who can also benefit.
"How many books does the Foundation want to collect? I would like it to be... more than 100,000," she laughs.
She also pointed out on a more serious note that the books received are not enough to meet the demand from educators and teachers, and that since the pandemic, there are even more children in need.
Over the years, the program has distributed more than 860,000 books, helping to prevent reading and writing difficulties that can lead to dropping out of school and then to illiteracy, the Foundation said.
The donation boxes are already in participating bookstores and also in some municipal libraries.
Children will also receive a postcard that they can send to the person who gave them the gift of reading in Quebec.
Book or money donations for the Gift of Reading campaign will be accepted throughout the fall, while the collection boxes will remain in place after August 12, as will the other usual collection methods.
The list of bookstore collection locations can be found on the Literacy Foundation's website.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 8, 2021.
