Picture Book Month 2012

It is November and the calendar is full of literary and literacy events. There will be a Read Lit District affair in Manila come mid-November and it promises a host of popular literary celebrities from here and abroad. Thanks to the National Book Development Board's (NBDB) untiring efforts of bringing readers, writers and lovers of words together, Manila is fast the becoming the new literary events place of this generation. Let's just hope that the sparkle and glimmer of celeb writers who will visit our shores will reach the regions. Perhaps technology can do that. With social media and the Internet, what is not possible these days?

Speaking of which, a US based literary and literacy event is taking place this whole month of November as well. And, thanks to Facebook, I am reminded to blog about it!

It's Picture Book Month!

Dianne De Las Casas, one of the founders of Picture Book Month has consistently been posting updates over at FB. Visit the website for details. There's a theme to talk about and discuss every week for as long as it concerns picture books! Also, there's a long list of authors and illustrators who speak and advocate the creation and readership of picture books.

Why are picture books important?

Dear me. I learned to read through picture books. My kids learned to read through picture books. And I bet, there are lucky kids out there who are learning how to read through picture books. By saying this, we look at reading not just a way to comprehend the written word but a skill set to derive meaning out of pictures, images and visual metaphors. Picture books are a trampoline for young readers so that they'll be able to tackle difficult materials and media in the future.

We're preparing kids for reading and for LIFE. Let's add picture books and the reading of it in their daily diet!