Our Book Week tour has been happening every year since 1977, beginning just a year after the Canadian Children’s Book Centre was formed. This year Book Week takes place from May 4-11. Book Week is the single most important national event celebrating Canadian children’s books and the importance of reading. But not everyone can have an author visit them, which is why we have a list of ways for everyone across Canada to participate.
Use Our Free Printables
We have free word searches, bookmarks, book bingo and a book tracking sheet for everyone to use. View them all here.
Read Canadian
This year we want people nationwide to read Canadian. From May 2-9, share a photo or video online of you reading Canadian or tell us your favourite Canadian book for young people. Be sure to tag us @kidsbookcentre and use the hashtags #TDBookWeek and #ChooseCanadianBooks.
Host Your Own Reading
Don’t have an official Book Week touring creator visiting you? Find a local creator and arrange for them to come on your own! Download a press release you can use here.
Host a Read-A-Thon
Students can commit to reading during Book Week to raise money for an organization of your choice. You can also raise money for The Canadian Children’s Book Centre and give directly to Book Week, helping the program in 2021.
Host a Book Swap
Raise money in your community by hosting a book drive. Encourage donations of used books from the community and schedule a date for the drive. Books can either be sold for a low price, or patrons can donate a set amount to participate ($2) and are able to take as money books as they donated, which is tracked through tickets.
Host a Book Drive
Instead of selling used books, you can donate them to communities in need! First Book Canada accepts donations of used books and sends them to children who often don’t own any books of their own.
Host a Snuggle Up and Read Day
Perfect for schools, students can each pay a dollar to wear their pajamas to school and snuggle up with their favourite book.
Classroom Activities
Get your students involved with Book Week and excited about reading by having them design a book cover for a favourite book or one they made up, writing a letter to a favourite author or a fictional character, writing their own stories or even plan a scavenger hunt in the library (find one here.)
Did you find this helpful? E-mail us any Book Week activities YOU did during May 2-9.