Don’t Want to be a Frog, written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt is the winner of the fifth annual Preschool Reads Award.
The award was announced on Jan. 27 in Fergus on Family Literacy Day.
The imaginative book fully engages young readers with its playful storyline and colourful, personality-packed illustrations, states a press release from award organizers Wee Read. The book touches many themes – some silly and fun, others sweet and important. The story is a tender and hilarious conversation between a frog father and his son.
It created a stirring reaction among local children and led to many lively discussions about frogs, animals and yes, self-acceptance, officials state.
This year’s other nominated books included: Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend by Ruth Ohi, Walk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland and Where are My Books? by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
The Preschool Reads Award was established in 2011 by Wellington-Dufferin’s Wee Read Committee as a way to promote family literacy and celebrate quality Canadian children’s literature and illustration.
The group hopes to encourage families and people of all ages to celebrate their love and enjoyment of reading.
Participants read the stories to the children, do related activities created by our members and then vote for their favorite. Wee Read is a committee of Wee Talk, Wellington-Dufferin’s preschool speech and language system. Wee Read is made up of organizations in Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph whose work supports families and child care services to develop early literacy skills in children. Organizations include Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, County of Dufferin Children’s Services, Early Years Centres and Action Read Community Literacy Centre of Guelph.
Wee Read members offer hands on programs for parents, caregivers and childcare staff.
Wee Read believes that language and literacy are interwoven, and acknowledges the important role of parents and educators in supporting early literacy skill development, officials state.
For more information on Wee Read, the Preschool Reads Award, obtaining resource fact sheets or on how to promote emergent literacy to the children of your community, contact Tina Bowering, Wee Read at tbowering@gmch.fergus.net.
