As I begin writing this column, it is Monday, August 12. On this date, for the past 10 years, the public has been invited to purchase a Quebec book. This is a wonderful way to highlight the exceptional work of Quebec publishing houses and that of our literary artists. In addition, for the past four years, the Literacy Foundation has been associated with this day to promote its Reading as a Gift program. When purchasing a book for themselves, adults are invited to kill two birds with one stone and purchase a second one, in the children’s section, and put it in a collection box directly at the bookstore so that it can then be given to a child from a disadvantaged background.
I personally wanted to tell you about this extraordinary initiative. Of course, my skirt is showing well here and I tell you this with complete transparency, since I am co-spokesperson, with Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques, for the Literacy Foundation. In addition to offering support services to adults struggling with literacy problems, the Foundation set up this program in 1999, which provides a new book to children who are not fortunate enough to receive one. Knowing that reading is a determining factor in the fight against school dropout and therefore illiteracy, it became clear that we had to intervene as early as possible among Quebec children. In the space of 25 years, more than 1,500,000 books have been provided to children aged 0 to 12, throughout the province.
I have been working with the Foundation for over ten years and have had the chance to attend book presentations in various schools across Quebec. I could tell you a thousand and one touching anecdotes. I am thinking of little Mohamad who exclaimed triumphantly when he discovered his book: “Oh, great! I’ve never read that one!” Of course he hadn’t read it, he was in first grade and had just learned to read. There are also the dozens of children I have seen asking their teacher over and over again: “Madam, are you sure I can keep this forever?”, which implies that usually, the book belongs to the school or the library, and that it would finally belong to them “forever.” I also remember this teacher who came to tell me that she had received a book from the program when she was little and that it had given her the bug for reading, so much so that today she was trying to pass on this love to new generations.
I am often asked why the fact that the book is new is so important, when there are many options for getting used books at a lower cost. This is where the symbolism of the gift comes into play. The new object is perceived by the child as something rare and precious. This book becomes like a little treasure to which he will become attached. Once he has fallen in love with books, he will have plenty of time to frequent libraries and second-hand bookstores.
Sometimes, just being offered something makes you realize its true value. Coming from a family of intellectuals, I didn’t like reading. My mother read for hours, our libraries were full, but I found it deadly boring, except for comics. Mafalda. I much preferred riding my BMX, roller skating or building tree houses. But one day, a friend of my mother offered me Zazie in the metroby Raymond Queneau. I was about the same age as the main character and I knew the Paris metro like the back of my hand. That was all it took for me to immediately identify with Zazie and devour the book. Later, I was offered To the happiness of ogresby Daniel Pennac, and again, I became attached to the Malaussène family and became a great reader.
August 12 is now behind us, but the collection boxes are still in bookstores and will remain there until after the holidays. If you want to transform the life of a little Quebecer, this is the opportunity to let your inner child take control. Just let it guide you in the children’s section. You can choose the book you like. There is no bad read. Whether it’s a book about hockey, a comic strip about poop (yes, yes, it exists) or a poetic book about flowers and fairies, everything is valid. The important thing is to pique the curiosity of young readers. Not to mention the 0 to 5 age group. Although these toddlers can’t read, we can get them into the habit of opening and looking at books. There are even books designed for bath time, and unlike me, who always drops my book in the bathtub, they won’t be afraid of the pages curling.
It is often said that children are our future. This future, I hope, is healthy and educated. I dream that all the adults of tomorrow will be able to read and write to their full potential and that they will have the opportunity to practice the profession of their choice. What if it all started with a book kindly offered by today’s adults?