Book Week

Book Week is the longest running children's festival in Australia,

celebrating its 64th birthday in 2009.

I feel very fortunate to have been born into a 'bookish' family.

My sister & I have always read, my parents read, & my grandmother read.

I remember holidays spent at grandma's house in the country where we (my cousins, my sister & I) would raid the bookshelves & settle down on the patchwork picnic blanket out on the sprawling front lawn to read,

or the early, early mornings when we would all pile into grandma's bed (yes, all of us!) for her to read to us while she sipped her English breakfast cup of tea...

no tea bags, a pot, of course!

As a child, I was a prolific reader & always had at least one book on the go, sometimes 2 or 3!

I still enjoy reading, very much, time seems to be my main barrier.

I love to see that my children find great joy in books & that the older 2 are already in possession of very strong literacy skills ~ the youngest is showing signs of being the same- she loves books, & will quite happily sit down to 'read them' to us.

My teaching background has made me acutely aware, that a positive, 'book-enriched' environment creates a positive foundation, leading to strong literacy skills.

so... more books, more books, more books!

Read to them, Read with them, listen to them Read to you & treat Reading with wonder...

you know, it can even be fun :)

in the words of Dr Seuss:

"The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you'll go"

To support & encourage literacy in Australia, we at ele-ahbaant are giving away a

free book with every purchase made between the 22nd & 28th August 09.

enjoy!