Coast Reads is now officially underway with students in grades 6 to 10 reading Hunt of the Unicorn and waiting to see its author on Nov. 8.
"It's a kind of fantasy book that a lot of the students will enjoy and the really neat thing about this is, because of the money we got from the [Sunshine Coast] Literacy Council, we are having C.C. Humphreys, the author of this book, coming on Nov. 8," said Cathy Calder, teacher librarian at Chatelech Secondary School. "So he'll be coming to both Elphinstone and Chat and also to the Sechelt Public Library."
Humphreys is a talented Canadian writer and actor, who may be known to some Coasters for his TV roles.
"If any of you in the past watched Coronation Street, he's been on that. He's been on Highlander and the kids are just going to love him. He's a great author," added Laura Clarke, Elphinstone's teacher librarian.
The author visit is meant to get more people excited about the Coast Reads initiative, which has an ultimate goal to get more kids and adults reading.
Similar reading programs in other areas have resulted in "increased levels of reading for pleasure, wider vocabulary, and the practice of higher order thinking skills, such as analyzing and evaluating stories and ideas in them," according to the education department at the University of Michigan.
Organizers of Coast Reads have picked eight books by Canadian authors to be promoted during the event that runs until May of 2013.
Over the coming months students will get copies of the books to read and the public is also encouraged to borrow the books from their local libraries and read along.
In May those who take part will be able to vote for their favourite book and also give their opinion on what books should be included next year, when the effort might grow to include more students.
"We're trying to start small and hopefully this is going to grow for next year and the subsequent years," Calder said. "This is our pilot project."
The eight books chosen this year for Coast Reads include Humphreys' book, Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Crescent Star by Nicholas Maes, Pain & Wastings by Carrie Mac, Room by Emma Donoghue, Trickster by Matt Dembicki, Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund and Camp Wild by Pam Withers.
Find out more about the books, Coast Reads and events as they are planned at www.coastreads.org.
Coast Reads is sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Literacy Council, School District No. 46, the Sechelt Public Library and the Gibsons Public Library.
