Read Share Grow — children’s books for South Dunedin

Posted: Friday Nov 20, 2020

Something big is happening in South Dunedin! It's happening in schools and early childhood centres, in community organisations, and other places children visit across the South of Dunedin, from Concord to Tainui.

It's all about reading and the joy it brings. It's about the lovely moments when you share a book with a small child and the warm feelings those moments bring to the reader and the child.

Read Share Grow

Read Share Grow is one of four Communities of Readers projects. It is a co-design project, with partners from the National Library, Ministry of Education, Dunedin City Council, (including Dunedin Public Libraries and Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature), Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, and the Methodist Mission Southern.

The project's working group plans to give 1000s of books to the children of South Dunedin aged 3 to 7 years to inspire a love of reading. It's hoped families will share the stories, talk to their children about the books, and share the books around the community.

Sharing a book is a lovely way of connecting through story, with the illustrations and rich vocabulary found in great picture books inspiring creativity and language. Often one story leads to another and creates storytelling moments that can be treasured.

Books to lots of children and families

Books in several languages will be delivered to schools and early childhood centres. Books will also go to families via organisations such as Plunket and others who work in the South Dunedin area with young families.

It's hoped that every child between the ages of 3 and 7 years will have access to a book. Read Share Grow will also attend community events to share stories with whānau.

Creating a reading buzz

The Read Share Grow project working group is excited that the planning and decision making has come to fruition and the project is being promoted. They really hope to create a buzz in the South Dunedin Community.

If you're based in South Dunedin, look out for posters and promotional materials featuring the Read Share Grow message.

You might also find books in places you frequent with little children, such as doctors’ surgeries and local businesses.

You’ll find Read Share Grow on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to tag #ReadShareGrow in your social media posts with the books.

Find out more

If you’d like more information on the project, or if you work with families and would like the opportunity to share books with them, contact kiaora@readsharegrow.nz or visit Read Share Grow.