Reading for a better life

If anyone can start a campaign to promote a culture of reading in SA it’s Palesa Morudu, the quiet dynamo behind Cover2Cover Books (How to start new chapter in book market, May 23).

Also Cape-based are the vigorous reading initiatives of Nal’ibali, the FunDza Literacy Trust, Book Dash, the Children’s Book Network, Wordworks and Biblionef, the Dutch-funded treasure house of children’s books in all local languages.

Since the ability to read is essential for education, how come the government continues to forestall the provision of libraries at more than 80% of schools?

More crucially, how serious are parents about encouraging children to read? Quality education begins at home. Even the poorest can pass on the gift of words and songs and stories in their mother tongues.

One of the founding principles of the Franschhoek Literary Festival was to encourage a culture of reading in the valley. Ticket sales and a qualified librarian have helped to establish four primary school libraries stocked with exciting and relevant new books. Now in their fifth year, the libraries are visited weekly by more than 3,000 learners.

During the Book Week for Young Readers that precedes each festival, more than 50 children’s and young adult authors, storytellers, illustrators and rap poets are invited to visit all eight schools in the valley, so every learner is stimulated by direct contact with writers and tellers of tales.

We challenge other communities to do something about reading.

Jenny Hobbs Former FLF director, Franschhoek