As the new school year gets underway and September is recognized as the month of Literacy and Basic Education by Rotary International, the Rotary Club of Saint-Martin Nord is hosting its annual Book Fair to provide affordable books for both young and adult readers, with the aim of encouraging literacy and a love for reading. The fair will feature a lively atmosphere, complete with music entertainment.
The books on sale come from generous donations, and in keeping with the club’s charitable mission, all proceeds from this event will be directed toward funding a local community service project. Last year, funds raised were used to purchase a companion bed for the pediatric ward of Louis Constant Fleming Hospital.
This year’s highlight is the participation of special guest, local author Joselyne Arnell, who will read excerpts from her upcoming book, a collection of Anansi stories, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The book, which will be published later this year, honors the Caribbean tradition of storytelling and aims to pass on this art form to future generations
In her own words, Joselyne Arnell explains :
« In the Caribbean’s tradition of storytelling, ‘Anansi the spider’ is a well-known character who is often used to teach great life lessons. Storytelling is an art form that fosters community life and has to be safeguarded for the next generation. As a writer and an educator, I consider it a social responsibility to transform our oral tradition into writing and render it available to all. This compilation of Anansi stories will soon be ready for publication and can be used by both parents and teachers to engage and support young learners. »
