The Book Club Blog

Books for any occasion and other life stuff

Raising a Reader.

Books. What are they but a pile of papers sewn or glued together? Filled with words of wisdom from the wise. Or nonsense rhymes which make us laugh. Characters and letters printed in pretty fonts. Stories that lead us into adventure, teach us how the world can be and find rare friendships within the pages. Books. A pile of papers sewn or glued together. To impact on our lives if we let them. And for most of us, something we purchase without much thought. We may not like to pay almost R300 for a book( if you live in South Africa), but we can. And we do.

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This year, as like last year we will be donating funds to Little Libraries and if you would like to get involved, please take a look at their Facebook page Little Libraries. Camille does such wonderful work in getting books and educational supplies out into parts of Africa where it is really needed. I donate through the year to Little Libraries and you can too, but what we urgently need right now are books for Grade 4, 5 and 6.

There has been a plea for help, a Bookdrive if you will, to Potchefstroom. Please read the message below:

Hi Everyone!

My name is Kelee and I’m teaching at a school that is a model core c school and it is lacking in books.

I’m looking for reading books for my children at my school. Grade 4, 5 and 6. If you know of anyone that has children’s books that they can’t sell because they are the too damaged and want to re-home please could you WhatsApp me on 0760112839.

I would appreciate any and all donations!!!

(I’m an ideal world I’d have one book per child = 165 books.)

PS: I live in Potchefstroom and will pay for postage.

 

As I have a Grade 4 child who is an avid reader and believe me, she goes through at least a book or two a week, so the call for books resonates with me. I will be going through her bookshelf this weekend to see what has been read and is ready to be re-homed and I would love for you to do the same. And then donate them to this worthy cause. And even though Kaylee is looking for those specific grades, Little Libraries needs for the younger reader. Board books, Learning Letters books because, in rural Africa, many of our children cannot read. So, collectively between you and me, lets help raise a reader. In more ways than one. And with the children of Africa who need it.

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If you would like to get involved and donate books to either of these worthy causes, please support us. If you live in Durbanville or the vicinity thereof, you are welcome to drop off and I will organise the delivery to LL or Potch. I will also be able to collect in certain areas. You can contact me on purplerob2 at gmail.com if you have any books to donate.

Help us to raise 165 books for Potch.

Help us to raise a Reading Nation.

Help us to Raise a Reader.

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Almost at 100!

Firstly, apologies that this post is slightly delayed, but due to my dancing shoes, I was out at the Johnny Clegg concert last night and was too full of music to be writing posts when I arrived home!

But, here we are, full of the joys of Summer on this gorgeous day and ladies and gentlemen, I have some extremely good news.

Remember this post?

Our aim is to raise 100 books for Bambelela and so far, we have 69 books! How awesome is that?  So, we only need another 31 books in order to send it off to our growing bookworms.  So, for those of you, who would still like to participate and add a book to our collection, please do. If you would like to order from Kalahari, go to this post and take a pick, just let me know which ones you purchase so we dont get duplicates. Just leave a comment asking for delivery directions (you send them to me) and I will mail you back. I am aiming to send the 100 books by the 15 December at the latest so we have a little time to get those last 31 books in.

A huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in this Book Raiser, you are all stars and the fact that you are helping to grow a bookworm, makes my heart feel oh so glad:-)

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Make a pledge, grow a bookworm!

After reading this post at F2F, my heart felt sore.

What broke my heart was the fact that without assistance these children could grow up without knowing the joy of reading. They could grow up illiterate. They could grow up without knowing how to read or write, the two most basic of human gifts. And who are we to decide their fate?

Something within the post spoke to me, touched a part of my soul and I would love to be able to help these children have a better and brighter future. With knowledge comes skills, with reading comes writing, with books come friends.

As you know I am an avid reader, as I’m sure most of you who read this blog are probably just the same. I have no idea what it would be like to not be able to read. To not be able to devour knowledge within books and to not be able to journey to the distant lands within books, be they fantasy or reality. To not have those friends within the covers of a book. To me reading is as essential as breathing. So much so, that I have already started teaching my daughter to read (she is 19 months old).

So, my aim is to have a ‘BOOKRAISER’ for Bambelela. To raise at least 100 children’s books ages ranging from between 0 -6yrs. In English, Afrikaans and any other African languages. Picture books/story books and board books to tempt the eyes and minds of the little ones. To give just that extra step for a better future for them. Most of the children at Bambelela are babies and under 6, but even the elder ones do not know how to read. Because of this, we need books which will enable them to learn, and to instill a love of reading and learning. Now, I know it is not food or money or clothes that I am attempting to raise, but for me, books are just as important. And I would love your help in doing this.  All you need to do, is pledge a book – one that you own that is no longer as loved at it once was/or a newly bought one/ or a second hand bought one/ or a hand me down , a book is a book is a book!- and then post it to me. Once we have raised 100 books, I will then contact Bambelela to let them know we have managed to raise the 100 books and send them up to them. I will take care of the postage and packaging and ensure that the books arrive in good order. I am aiming to succeed in this venture by mid December so it can be like a Christmas gift for all the little children.

I have not attempted to do any sort of ‘raiser’ before (bar the selling of raffle tickets at school) and if anyone has any suggestions please do not hesitate to tell me,  but I have high hopes and a dream of at least 100 books. I have faith in the goodness of us humans, even amidst all the non goodness which is read/felt/seen daily and I believe that this small act of kindness will go a long way.

If you would like to be part of this ‘BOOKRAISER’, please email us your email address by using the ‘submit review button’ at the top of the page, or use the comment section below, with the title of the book that you are pledging so we don’t get duplicates, and I will get back to you with contact details of where to send the books to. If you are planning on buying a book, you can click on the Kalahari link at the bottom of the page, which makes it that one step easier for you!

Lets do this!

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The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart

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This is a childrens book, one filled with adventure and intrigue. It leads the reader on a curious journey about 4 children who are orphans of sorts and how together they create a family of their own. It shows how bravery and tenacity of spirit can chase away the fears that live inside oneself. I dont want to tell you the whole plot line, suffice to say it should be read in order to find out about it.

Exerpt on the back of the book:

“ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?”

When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of myseterious, mind-bending tests. (And you , dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) but in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. With their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all?

So, if you are looking for a book for a child, do go ahead and try this one. (And they have a second book, if you fall in love with the characters in this one…)

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