The second year of the Coast Reads literacy initiative proved to be a resounding success.
Coast Reads books were read by the whole Sunshine Coast community including students, teachers, parents, grandparents and public library patrons.
Students at the elementary level read five books: No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis, Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, Ink Me by Richard Scrimger and the classic A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.
The students then voted online for their favourite title and the winner was: Fatty Legs. The students participated in author visits by Jordan-Fenton and Pokiak-Fenton, who spoke to them about the writing process.
Students at the secondary schools read a selection of seven books: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah, 419 by Will Ferguson, Jordin Tootoo by Melanie Florence, Nice Recovery by Susan Juby, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen and Steve Nash by Jeff Rud.
A Wrinkle in Time, both the classic version and the new graphic novel version, were also reading choices. The online vote resulted in a clear winner: Nice Recovery. Honourable mention also went to A Wrinkle in Time. Secondary students were treated to school visits by Susan Juby, who recounted her teenage and young adult years with humour and honesty.
Both Coast Reads winners were authors who visited the schools and spoke to students directly. It seems when students make a personal connection with the author it encourages them to read and appreciate that author’s work.
The launch of Coast Reads part three began recently. You can check out current Coast Reads books at www.coastreads.org
