Newcomer families connect with local children’s authors at ‘Welcome Neighbours’ event

September 19, 2016

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GUELPH, Ontario – Some of the country’s most well-known children’s authors were in Guelph this weekend to welcome Syrian newcomer families to our communities.

On Saturday, families and community members gathered at Westwood Public School for the “Welcome Neighbours” event.

 

Authors in attendance included Robert Munsch, Jean Little, Eric Walters, Kathy Stinson, Jo Ellen Bogart, Janet Wilson, Lisa Dalrymple, Kira Vermond and Werner Zimmerman. They were joined by Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield, Guelph MPP Liz Sandals, and Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott, along with a number of Upper Grand District School Board staff and trustees.

 

Each took a turn reading a page from the book Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey by B.C. author Margriet Ruurs and Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr. The passage was then translated into Arabic.

 

The children attending the event received a number of free books generously donated by the publishers. Later in the afternoon, Robert Munsch signed books that had been translated into Arabic for the children and a number of the children performed a song in Arabic and English for those in attendance.

 

“Welcome Neighbours” was hosted by the UGDSB in collaboration with the local authors and their publishers Annick Press, Creative Book Publishing, Orca Book Publishers, Penguin Random House and Scholastic, as well as First Book Canada and the Ontario Library Association.

Thank you to all who attended and who made the special day possible.

Categories: News