Book Reading at Hanover Parish Library

It’s been a while since I did a book reading, so I was keen to take up Marvetta Stewart Richard’s invitation to read from Delroy in the Marog Kingdom, at Hanover Parish Library, on Friday January 29, 2016. As we had arranged for 11 o’clock, I was impressed when Michelle Deacon-Brown, Children’s Services Librarian, who greeted me, said that the children were ready and waiting. Indeed they were, waiting patiently. I learned, to my delight, that the students were from Hanover Preparatory School, the successor to Lucea Prep which I had founded in 1982. What was more, the principal, Desiree Brissett, remembered that I had been on the staff at Rusea’s High School when she was a student there!
         I started my reading in the usual way with a boy playing the part of Delroy, putting the frog in the pot and another boy clamping on the lid. When I read “I stifled the urge to burst out laughing,” the boy acting as Delroy didn’t stifle the urge at all, much to everyone’s amusement. I later found out that this boy is an avid reader, reading up to 8 books a week.

The frog who takes part in my
book readings.

I appreciated the quiet venue of the library, unlike some of the schools where I have read, where I’ve hardly been able to hear my own voice.  All the students, being able to hear, were attentive and appreciative. The vote of thanks was given by Michaela Harvey, the Hanover Spelling Bee Champion.
After the reading, Mrs. Deacon-Brown told me of some of the initiatives she takes to encourage children to read. There is  a book club which meets every Friday afternoon. The library staff help children to choose their books and challenge the better readers to try more difficult books. If they don't like them, there's no pressure on them to read them.

They have a section for Jamaican (local) books which they encourage children to read. There were well-worn copies of Miss Bettina's House by Hazel Campbell, Jenny and the General by Jean D'Costa, and other books in Carlong's Sand Pebble Series.   Hopefully, the empty shelves mean that most of the books, including 'Delroy in the Marog Kingdom', are out on loan! Whether that is so or not, the library with its limited budget would benefit from donations of more of these books.
To instill a love of books in children from an early age, there is a section for tiny tots where their mothers can read to them in a child-friendly atmosphere. More mothers need to take advantage of this space. In addition to the Parish Library in Lucea, there are branch libraries in Chester Castle, Pondside, Askenish, Jericho and Hopewell. There is also a Bookmobile. Are the communities they serve taking full advantage of  what is being offered?  The best way for children to improve their reading is to read widely. Mrs. Stewart Richards, Mrs. Deacon Brown are doing a great job in making books available to children. They deserve our support.


Room for tiny  tots and their mothers

 

 

 

 

Western Union's Reading Week in Montego Bay

Mrs. Tanya Fraser-Martin with a Gr 5 class

    Since 2010, I have taken opportunities to read from 'Delroy in the Marog Kingdom' at selected schools during Western Union's Reading Week. Because St. James had been the featured parish in 2013, no school had been chosen for 2014. However, they were happy that I volunteered to read, and that I chose Chetwood Memorial Primary as the venue. On Tuesday, April 8, in the afternoon,  I was joined by Mrs. Tanya Fraser Martin of Western Union's Montego Bay office. She is the Business Network Manager responsible for WU agents in Trelawny, St James and Hanover in Jamaica.  
    Between us we were able to read to four classes.
    I read excerpts from 'Delroy in the Marog Kingdom' to two grade 5 classes, one after the other. As usual, I got an enthusiastic response to my presentation which began with putting the frog in the pot.
   Meanwhile, Mrs. Martin read 'Slater Minnifie and the Beat Boy Machine' from "Flying with Icarus" by Curdella Forbes to another grade 5 class. The story is about a new boy in the class and a gang of bullies. Of the experience, Mrs. Martin said "They really loved the story and responded well to my questions. They listened intently, showed keen interest and I thought the story was ideal and relevant to their every day lives. The Teacher had a good command of the class. I enjoyed reading to them." Then she went to a grade 6 class to read from Diane Browne's "Island Princess in Brooklyn", the chapter about Jamaican's getting together to watch our athletes on TV.  

We also spoke to each class about the importance of reading stories for pleasure:

1. Reading improves vocabulary, grammar and comprehension.
2. Children who read 5 or 6 books in the summer holidays perform better in the following year than those who don't.
3. Reading stimulates brain development.
4. Reading improves performance in math... yes, math!

Reading "Delroy in the Marog Kingdom" at Teamwork Prep School

View from Teamwork School

On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 I paid a visit to Teamwork Prep School, situated on Flower Hill Avenue, Coral Gardens, Montego Bay. The view from there is breathtaking.  However, my purpose was not to admire the view, but   to read from my book, DELROY IN THE MAROGKINGDOM, and from Jonathan Burke’s BOLO THE MONKEY, published by Blue MoonBooks. Latoya Wakefield came with me to get ideas for her own author presentations. She is the author of IRIE THE CATERPILLAR, which won Anansesem’s Best Short Story by an adult for

The frog is in the pot!

2013. (Anansesem is the Caribbean ezine for and by children .)

I read to a small group of children ranging in age from 6 - 11 years. Although Delroy in the Marog Kingdom is intended for children aged 9 - 13, the younger children, as well as the older ones, listened attentively. Perhaps my usual opening, asking two boys to play the parts of Delroy and Mario, putting the frog in the pot and clamping on the lid, caught their attention.

BOLO THE MONKEY was equally well well received by all the children. I paused at the end of the last sentence, “Just believe your dream and your dream will come…” “True,” they chorused. I reminded them that they,  like Bolo, will have to work to make it happen.

Reading Bolo the Monkey

February 14, 2014 is International Book Giving Day. Please consider donating one of these books to the school you attended. Delroy in the Marog Kingdom is available at Fontana Pharmacy and other outlets supplied by Novelty Trading. Bolo the Monkey is available at Sangsters. The copy I read to the children I have given to Latoya, to donate to the Granville Reading and ArtProgramme. If you are interested in donating any children’s books to that organization, you can drop them in Latoya Wakefield’s box, at Western Dental, upstairs in Baywest.  Presentations will be made at the Granville Health Centre 3:00 - 5:00  p.m.

 

Reading at Buckingham Primary School

On December 9, 2013,  I went to make a presentation of "Delroy in the Marog Kingdom" to Buckingham Primary School, located on the road from Montego Bay to Hopeton through Granville, Camrose and Kempshot. A book-reading was arranged by Tamika Williams to follow my visit to her award-winning Ahhh Ras Natanga Garden and Gallery. The book was donated by Donna Delgado as part of 1 Love Medusa Reunion's activities in July 2012, when members of the group bought copies of my book to be donated either to the school they attended, or to a school of my choosing. I read to grades 4 to 6. As usual, I carried a toy frog and a pot which grabbed the students' attention from the beginning,  They remained focused until the end. I hope the excerpts I read were enough to whet their appetites so they will read the book for themselves.

      I then went to grades 1 and 2 to read "Beautiful Blackbird" by Ashley Bryan. When I read this book to grade 1 classes in another school, the children lost interest halfway through, perhaps because I had no props. This time, inspired by Mara Menzies storytelling, I tried some of her techniques. Of course, I had to read rather than tell the story, but my sister, here on holiday, held the book for me. My arms were free to flap like birds' wings and the children flapped theirs also, like the birds who flew in from all over with a flip-flop-flapping of their wings. For the Show Claws Slide, the children followed instructions to

"Tip tap toe to the left, spin around,

Tip tap toe to the right, stroke the ground."

     There were opportunities throughout the story to involve the children in actions and song. The response was very different this time, as the children were engaged and listening throughout the whole story, so much so that they wanted me to read it again. My next challenge is to choose popular tunes for the songs, so children can join in.
     "Beautiful Blackbird" is adapted from a tale from the Ila speaking peoples from Zambia.  Ashley Bryan (born July 13, 1923) is an African-American writer and illustrator of children's books. Most of his subjects are from the African American experience. He was U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006 and he won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his contribution to American children's literature in 2009. 
       If you are interested in donating a copy of "Delroy in the Marog Kingdom" or "Beautiful Blackbird" or any other book to your alma mater, please message me at helen.b.williams@facebook.com
                                                                                                                                               

Presenting my book to Mrs. Allen, Grade 6 Teacher