Indigenous Literacy Day – Wednesday September 3, 2008

I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch (Graeme Base) open on my lap at four years old, tasting the different worlds at the top of The Magic Faraway Tree at seven, devouring the ‘unreal’ Paul Jennings at eight, crying in Two Weeks With the Queen with Morris Gleitzman at nine, and sleuthing it out with Emily Rodda’s Teen Power Inc. at ten. One of my firmest memories still carries with it the scent of a fresh slipcase – my Mum and Dad went away when I was nine and brought back my sister and I collections of Roald Dahl. The memories of reading through my childhood are so vivid. Reading honed my perception of the world, my abilities to understand the motivations of others, and allowed me to laugh, cry and be entertained.

Some children, in our very own country, have little or no access to books.

The second annual Indigenous Literacy Day aims to help raise urgently needed funds to address the literacy crisis in remote Indigenous communities.

So what can you do to help?

Find out the participating bookstore near you and buy a book on the day. It’s that easy! I’m sure I’ve given you plenty of ideas with my reviews and interviews. Participating publishers and booksellers will donate 5% or more of their takings on September 3rd to the cause. There are also events to be held across the country, and businesses are encouraged to pause at work and read to support Indigenous literacy, and make a gold coin donation.

Click for more information on getting involved for individuals, the book industry, schools, and businesses.

Overseas and still want to help? Make a donation.

Find out what was achieved in 2007.

Feel free to bombard me with ideas of what book/books I should buy on the day…

3 thoughts on “Indigenous Literacy Day – Wednesday September 3, 2008”

Oh my god how I loved The Magic Faraway Tree! This is a great scheme, thanks so much for alerting us to it.

Due to TV, Computers and internet Today teens don’t read book usually. I can remember my favourite books which I read then in my childhood. We have lost of things to sort out in Europe and in U.S.A. Bye!

Hi Simonne – I know! I actually re-read it about a year ago and still loved it :-)Leo – I agree with you on the majority of TV programming but the internet is my friend, and I have met a lot of teens that read (and there are some GREAT Young Adult books out there) but more of them should read, yes! Books can rock your world.