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Scarborough Celebrates 18 Young Authors at Official Book Launch!

Toronto, ON – Excitement is in the air as Scarborough prepares to celebrate the literary achievements of 18 talented young authors. The Reading Partnership, in collaboration with Story Planet, proudly announces the launch of their 12th anthology, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW: Tales of Sports, Spaces, and (Super)heroes. This anthology features original stories and artwork from students at George B. Little, Joseph Brant, and Willow Park Public Schools in East Scarborough.

The anthology is the product of the 360° Stories program, a month-long initiative designed to nurture the storytelling abilities of children aged 9-12. Through this program, participants engage in a comprehensive process of imagining, writing, and editing their stories with guidance from community-based authors and illustrators. The result is a beautifully crafted book that showcases their unique voices and creative talents.

Scarborough Celebrates 18 Young Authors at Official Book Launch!
Two participants editing their work together.

The program kicked off with a special workshop led by author-ambassador Nadia L. Hohn. Hohn, an award-winning Canadian author known for her works such as A Likkle Miss Lou and the Malaika series, shared her journey as a writer and provided invaluable tips to the budding authors. “As a young writer myself, I know I would have benefited from being a part of a community like this — where I could not only dream alongside others, but I could hone my craft with my peers. I can only imagine the impact on these youth,” Hohn remarked. “I also think that it’s kind of cool that I get to give back in this way, through my writing, to students who attend a school where I taught twenty years ago.”

The book launch event promises to be a grand celebration, bringing together family, friends, and community members to honor the hard work and creativity of the young authors. Highlights of the event will include a keynote speech by Nadia L. Hohn, readings from the anthology, Q&A sessions with the authors, and an exclusive first look at the book. Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase a copy of the anthology and enjoy food and drinks.

A caregiver of one of the participants praised the program, stating, “This program helps build the confidence in your child’s writing skills. My son was always uneager to write. Since being in the program his confidence and willingness to write has increased. Any parent whose child is not an eager writer will benefit from this program.”

The 360° Stories program, which runs twice a year, is supported by the TD Bank Group through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, and the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation.

The Reading Partnership is committed to building community and fostering a love of reading among children and families through inclusive and interactive literacy programs. For more information and to join their mailing list, visit readingpartnership.com. To support their initiatives, donations can be made at readingpartnership.com/donate-2.

Story Planet, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to amplifying the voices of children and young people in Toronto’s equity-seeking communities. Learn more about their work at storyplanet.ca, and consider making a donation at storyplanet.ca/donate-to-story-planet.

Join us in celebrating the creative achievements of Scarborough’s young authors at this inspiring book launch event!

Alwin Marshall-Squire

Alwin Marshall-Squire is the Editor-in-Chief of S-Q Publications Inc., publisher of Vision Newspaper – The Caribbean Update. He leads the editorial direction of the paper, focusing on original reporting that uplifts Caribbean voices across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and the Caribbean. Under his leadership, Vision Newspaper continues to deliver culturally relevant news, music features, and diaspora stories that matter. He can be reached at al@visionnewspaper.ca

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