International Children’s Book Day is celebrated annually on 2 April, which is the birthday of the renowned children’s author Hans Christian Anderson. Each year, a different host country is chosen and one of its prominent authors is invited to write a message motivating children to read. This year the host country was Canada, and the theme of the event was ‘Stories are wings that help you soar every day’. This theme was suggested by the celebrated Canadian author Richard Van Camp, who is known for his indigenous children’s stories illustrated by acclaimed artist Julie Flett. The theme highlights the power of children’s books to expand horizons, build understanding and ignite the imagination.

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international non-profit organisation, has been sponsoring International Children's Book Day since 1967. They use the day to promote reading activities in schools and public libraries by reading children’s books, facilitating writing competitions and announcing book awards. This year, at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair held in Italy, New Africa Books, a South African publisher that has been publishing children’s books by South African authors in local languages since the 1980s, won the award for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year. Commenting on this achievement, publisher Dusanka Stojakovic said: ‘We focus on creating books that matter—for all South Africans. We find gaps in the book market and fill them with meaningful, beautiful books. We address the problems our society faces.’  Local author Desaray Mnyandu’s book Imbila’s Tale also received an honourable mention at the Children’s Africana Book Awards. International Children’s Book Day is not intended to only encourage children to pick up a book and read, but also aims to influence their future reading behaviour.

Encouraging the younger generation to read became even more important after schooling was disrupted due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), these disruptions affected millions of children, with the younger and more marginalised among them facing the greatest challenge. Many of those children have lost basic numeracy and literacy skills, especially in low- and middle-income countries where up 70% of 10-year-olds are unable to read. In South Africa, most school-age children have lost almost a full school year. What is even more worrisome is that an estimated 400 000 to 500 000 South African learners have dropped out of school since the start of the pandemic, which has negatively affected South Africa’s already low literacy rates.

Exposure to children’s literature plays an important role in children’s development. Reading can benefit their education, social and cognitive development, well-being and mental health. It provides them with the ability to respond to literature and develop emotional intelligence as it stimulates creativity, enhances concentration, fosters higher levels of creativity, imagination and empathy, and can promote the acquisition of social skills and moral awareness.

While reading books undoubtedly plays a vital role in a child’s learning and development, this activity can be difficult to promote in parts of the world where access to materials and resources is lacking. This is why the various school and community events celebrating International Children’s Book Day aim to raise reading awareness and also provide resources that children may not ordinarily be able to access.

Children’s literature brings the world to children and creates an opportunity for them to appreciate their own cultural heritage and the cultural heritages of others as they engage with literary themes and stories that have been passed down through generations. In 2022, Canada wanted to give children this opportunity by introducing them to indigenous children’s literature. The message of this year’s International Children’s Book Day was beautifully articulated by author Richard Van Camp:

Reading is freedom. Reading is breath.

Reading lets you see our world in a new way and it invites you into worlds you never want to leave.

Reading allows your spirit to dream.

They say books are friends for life and I agree.

The perfect universe of you only grows when you read.

Stories are wings that help you soar every day,

 so find the books that speak to your spirit, to your heart, to your mind.

Stories are medicine. They heal. They comfort. They inspire. They teach.

Bless the storytellers and the readers and listeners. Bless books. They are medicine for a better, brighter world.

Mahsi cho. Thank you very much.

On the occasion of the International Children’s Book Day celebrations, Canada’s first indigenous Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, said ‘We need to nurture and protect our stories and storytellers. We need to find room in the world and in our hearts for all stories to thrive. Our stories remind us of who we are; when we tell them to others, and listen in return, we come that much closer the understanding, healing and reconciliation.’