It was a morning of storytelling, singing, dancing and face-painting as City libraries hosted six schools from across the city for World Read Aloud Day at the Company’s Garden in Cape Town on Wednesday February 5.
The event was a joint initiative by public libraries, Nal’ibali, Read2Rise and local schools.
The City’s mayoral committee member for community services and health, Dr Zahid Badroodien, was part of the team of readers who made the stories come alive for the pupils.
Pupils from Grade R to Grade 5 were selected by their teachers based on how well they could read.
They came from schools in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Manenberg, Bishop Lavis, Mitchell’s Plain, Durbanville and the CBD,
“The benefits of reading to children daily, no matter how young, cannot be over emphasised. Apart from the boost to literacy skills and language acquisition, reading helps them improve memory and concentration. It’s also a fun way to entertain them as they learn,” said Dr Badroodien.
Although the festival was about introducing pupils to books and reading, they also enjoyed fun and games in the sun.