The gift of reading
If you delve back into the recesses of your mind, perhaps you can remember the books of your childhood. You may actually still possess some of them, tattered maybe, worse for wear, but still showing the pictures which imprinted themselves on your mind...
If you delve back into the recesses of your mind, perhaps you can remember the books of your childhood. You may actually still possess some of them, tattered maybe, worse for wear, but still showing the pictures which imprinted themselves on your mind and impressed you so many summers ago.
And the funny thing is that if you recall a story, a fairy tale or a nursery rhyme, you automatically associate it with the images, the cover or the texture of the pages of that first book.
Children have a way with books. They will turn the pages of the same book, over and over again, ask you to read the same story perhaps three times on a bedtime, until you're dozing off over the book and they're still wide-eyed, tugging at your sleeve for more. And their attention is so powerful, that they will catch you out, if you as much as skip one word from the usual run of the story.
Children's books are the essence of fairyland, make-believe or even a step further from reality, but they are what books should be - a step into fantasy world, eliciting imagination to run wild. Bookstart, a British book campaign established in 1992, has carried out much research on the importance of books in the development of children. Its research has shown that 68 per cent of parents who embraced the Bookstart campaign said that looking at books was among their child's three most enjoyable activities, even when the child is only two or three years old. This elicited 75 per cent of parents to buy books as presents since they gauged that reading material urged children to read, talk about the story, relate the story to their own experiences, join into discussions, make predictions and ask questions.
Books are truly amazing tools with which to heighten a child's awareness. The question is: When is the right time to introduce them to children? Is it when they start school at six, or is it earlier on at nursery school age? Is babyhood unsuitable? What should a child learn by way of reading and when? Isn't the introduction to books pushing children into academy too soon? How can parents help?
The onus is on stimulating the child's mind and the early years are the best time to do this and ensure that the child develops an inquisitive nature that further enhances mental development.
The conclusion is that it is never too soon to get children familiarised with books. Inspired by this, a Maltese book publishing company is taking on a colossal initiative the likes of which has never been experienced in Malta.
Inspired by the successes of Bookstart, Merlin Library has worked hard to consolidate its affiliation with this campaign and as a consequence is launching Il-ktiebtezor, a Maltese campaign targeting all children attending kindergarten in Malta and Gozo. Purposely being launched on the occasion of World Book Day, the campaign has seen the organisers, Chris Gruppetta and Rachel Portelli, eliciting the help of local councils to distribute free book packs to three- and four-year-old children attending both public and private schools.
Each pack includes one storybook in Maltese, one storybook in English, one colouring book and a handbook for parents. The latter will help guide parents on how to enjoy books together with their child, how to organise time to read or view books together, even providing advise for parents who have problems reading and still want to help their own child to develop reading skills well. A special section of the booklet will guide parents in choosing the "right" books for their child's age group as well as providing advice on how to elicit interest in a child who is reluctant to familiarise with books.
The campaign is also roping in the support of three well-known testimonials for the campaign - author Trevor Zahra, TV personality Claudette Pace and opera singer Maria Muscat alias Il-Barokka. The ultimate goal is to help Maltese children grow fonder of the book, take reading into their stride and become acquainted with the wonderful world of books as early as possible.
• Il-ktiebtezor, a Merlin Library initiative, is being launched on Monday, World Book Day.
And the funny thing is that if you recall a story, a fairy tale or a nursery rhyme, you automatically associate it with the images, the cover or the texture of the pages of that first book.
Children have a way with books. They will turn the pages of the same book, over and over again, ask you to read the same story perhaps three times on a bedtime, until you're dozing off over the book and they're still wide-eyed, tugging at your sleeve for more. And their attention is so powerful, that they will catch you out, if you as much as skip one word from the usual run of the story.
Children's books are the essence of fairyland, make-believe or even a step further from reality, but they are what books should be - a step into fantasy world, eliciting imagination to run wild. Bookstart, a British book campaign established in 1992, has carried out much research on the importance of books in the development of children. Its research has shown that 68 per cent of parents who embraced the Bookstart campaign said that looking at books was among their child's three most enjoyable activities, even when the child is only two or three years old. This elicited 75 per cent of parents to buy books as presents since they gauged that reading material urged children to read, talk about the story, relate the story to their own experiences, join into discussions, make predictions and ask questions.
Books are truly amazing tools with which to heighten a child's awareness. The question is: When is the right time to introduce them to children? Is it when they start school at six, or is it earlier on at nursery school age? Is babyhood unsuitable? What should a child learn by way of reading and when? Isn't the introduction to books pushing children into academy too soon? How can parents help?
The onus is on stimulating the child's mind and the early years are the best time to do this and ensure that the child develops an inquisitive nature that further enhances mental development.
The conclusion is that it is never too soon to get children familiarised with books. Inspired by this, a Maltese book publishing company is taking on a colossal initiative the likes of which has never been experienced in Malta.
Inspired by the successes of Bookstart, Merlin Library has worked hard to consolidate its affiliation with this campaign and as a consequence is launching Il-ktiebtezor, a Maltese campaign targeting all children attending kindergarten in Malta and Gozo. Purposely being launched on the occasion of World Book Day, the campaign has seen the organisers, Chris Gruppetta and Rachel Portelli, eliciting the help of local councils to distribute free book packs to three- and four-year-old children attending both public and private schools.
Each pack includes one storybook in Maltese, one storybook in English, one colouring book and a handbook for parents. The latter will help guide parents on how to enjoy books together with their child, how to organise time to read or view books together, even providing advise for parents who have problems reading and still want to help their own child to develop reading skills well. A special section of the booklet will guide parents in choosing the "right" books for their child's age group as well as providing advice on how to elicit interest in a child who is reluctant to familiarise with books.
The campaign is also roping in the support of three well-known testimonials for the campaign - author Trevor Zahra, TV personality Claudette Pace and opera singer Maria Muscat alias Il-Barokka. The ultimate goal is to help Maltese children grow fonder of the book, take reading into their stride and become acquainted with the wonderful world of books as early as possible.
• Il-ktiebtezor, a Merlin Library initiative, is being launched on Monday, World Book Day.