New Reading Lights plaques announced today to spark imaginations and inspire love of reading for kids, families
New B.C.-born storybook characters highlighted in neighbourhoods around Vancouver
NEWS RELEASE
Feb. 23, 2017
VANCOUVER, B.C. – City bees buzzing near the community gardens in China Creek South Park? Yoga for young ones at Coal Harbour Park? And fairy tale feasts found near Nat Bailey Stadium?
These are just a few of the B.C.-born stories and storybook characters that are highlighted in neighbourhoods around Vancouver to promote the love of reading and spark imaginations of kids throughout the city.
Vancouver Public Library and the society of B.C. children’s writers and illustrators today announced the next installation of the Reading Lights project – a second batch of 20 bold, colourful plaques near parks, playgrounds, schools and libraries.
A companion interactive online map (vpl.ca/readinglights) allows families to discover all the Reading Lights locations – 40 in all now – and offers information about the authors and illustrators who make the stories come alive, along with links to their works in the VPL catalogue.
Reading Lights is a collaboration of Vancouver’s library and the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of B.C. Society to celebrate those behind B.C. children’s books.
A sampling of the Reading Lights plaques and locations on lamp standards around Vancouver includes:
Mister Got To Go, Where Are You? (Lois Simmie; illustrated by Cynthia Nugent) – the West End's most famous literary cat – is located across from the Sylvia Hotel on Beach Avenue;
Good food and great stories can be found in Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook (Jane Yolen; illustrated by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin) at Riley Park, right across from Nat Bailey Stadium and one of the city's seasonal farmers markets;
Families can enjoy an excerpt of The Yoga Game by the Sea (Kathy Beliveau; illustrated by Denise Holmes) at Coal Harbour park, located at West Hastings and Jervis Street;
Big City Bees (Maggie De Vries; illustrated by Renne Benoit) can be found buzzing near China Creek South Park's playground and community garden along the bike route on East 10th Avenue.
Discover all the books, authors and illustrators in the Reading Lights project at vpl.ca/readinglights.
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About Vancouver Public Library
Vancouver Public Library has been dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading and information needs of Vancouver residents for more than 100 years. Our vision is an informed, engaged, and connected city. Our mission is a free place for everyone to discover, create and share ideas and information. Last year, VPL had more than 6.8 million visits with patrons borrowing almost 9.4 million physical and digital items including: books, ebooks, movies, music and magazines. Across 21 locations, VPL is the most-visited major urban library per capita in Canada.