The National Library of Jamaica celebrates World Read Aloud Day 2018
ON THURSDAY, February 1, 2018, at 10 a.m. the National Library of Jamaica joined millions around the world in celebrating #WorldReadAloudDay2018. The celebration took place in the Daphne Douglas Reading Room at the library. Authors Owen ‘Blakka’ Ellis and A-dZiko Simba Gegele read to the gathering, which included students and teachers from St Hugh’s and Holy Trinity high schools. Guests were then treated to a tour of the National Library of Jamaica to culminate the day’s activities.
Beverley Lashley, national librarian/CEO, said that “reading aloud promotes language development and early literacy skills”. The day’s activities also included poetic performances by Ras Jaja and Abebe Payne, which stirred the audience’s enthusiasm with rhythmic lyricism, adding the cherry atop of this literary feast.
Featured works from Blouse and Skirt Books were deposited by Tanya Batson-Savage, publisher, Blue Banyan Books:
• Children of the Spider (2016) by Imam Baksh, winner of the first prize – Burt Award for Caribbean Literature, 2015.
• Dancing in the Rain (2016) by Lynn Joseph.
• Dreams Beyond the Shore (2017) by Tamika Gibson.
• Girlcott (2017) by Florenz Webbe Maxwell.
Participants in the day’s activities engaged in discussion surrounding the theme ‘What Does Reading Mean to You?’ In addition to the many answers, two outstanding students, Aaliyhana Bartlett of St Hugh’s High School and Rico Phillips, Holy Trinity High School, won the surprise question-and-answer segment and were awarded the book Pocomania and London Calling by Una Marson, published by the National Library of Jamaica and Blouse and Skirts Books, an imprint of Blue Banyan Books.
The day’s event sought to promote language development and literacy while inspiring a great love of books among young Jamaicans. The National Library of Jamaica continues to raise the bar in promoting reading aloud across Jamaica.