Do you want to promote reading at your school or in your community?
In November the ATKV and WOW are starting with a reading relay together with LAPA Publishers and a private sponsor.
Five grade 10 learners will be selected from each participating school. These five learners will each get five books to read and then give to friends to read as well. The friends then also pass the books on to their friends to read. Each time a book has been read, it is recorded and the five learners score points when their books have been read. The five learners also get five children’s books to read to younger learners in their community, for which they also score points. The five learners compete against each other for the most points, but also in an informal way against the learners from the neighbouring schools: whose books are read most from November 2019 to April 2020?
In the long run the learners from participating schools will be enriched and they will have a small library to also encourage other learners to read.
The dream
Gabby Olivier and the management of CKR Consulting Engineers have a dream for the young learners of our country. This dream is to provide education and guidance to create a promising future for them and to motivate them to work hard towards it. Gabby and his colleagues and friends want to use their skills and wisdom to become actively involved with the lives of young people who currently have a bleak future. After consulting the LAPA team the idea of a reading relay has been born. The Afrikaans book packages cost R3,000 and the English book packages R3,200.
The first book packages are sponsored by CRK Consulting Engineers and LAPA Publishers. Other sponsors have also pledged their support. CRK challenges other companies and individuals to also offer sponsorships. Sponsors can choose their own schools who they want to sponsor.
Sponsors or schools who want to participate can contact any of the following people:
- Melvina Mason – ATKV (MelvinaM@atkv.org.za or 081 797 6794
- Fiona van Kerwel – WOW (wow@sun.ac.za or 072 117 3483)
- Marieta Nel – LAPA Publishers (mnel@lapa.co.za)
The Commune bookshop opens in Braamfontein
Editor-in-Chief of New Frame, Richard Pithouse, and his team opened a not-for-profit bookshop in the hip Reserve Street, Braamfontein on 1 October. Managed and curated by a collective of eight individuals, the bookshop offers a selection of radical, leftist and Pan-African books at affordable prices. The Commune also serves as a reference library, coffee shop and gathering spot for like-minded readers.
Exclusive Books reopens in Melrose Arch
Melrose Arch shoppers welcomed the reopening of Exclusive Books there on 31 October. The new store is located opposite FNB, close to Clicks, and is managed by experienced bookseller Alexia Frangiskakis. CEO Grattan Kirk:
We are really excited to be back in the Melrose Arch Precinct. The feedback from customers, tenants and the landlord in anticipation of our reopening was that there was a ‘massive void’ left when we exited in 2016. Their support has been phenomenal and hence we expect the store to perform very well. The opening of the Melrose Arch store represents the 3rd store we have opened in the last quarter, in line with our growth strategy. We will also open a new store in Windhoek, Namibia in mid-November. Our sincere thanks to the new team at Melrose as well as our head office team who worked tirelessly to open the store on time. The store will also include a Vida e Caffé offering in line with our strategy of providing our customers with the best possible atmosphere in which to enjoy our quality books served by our experienced and knowledgeable booksellers.
Bridge Books moves to Commissioner Street
Iconic Pan-African specialist Bridge Books reopened their doors on Saturday 9 November at 95 Commissioner Street, right next to the historic Rand Club in Johannesburg. With an on-street shopfront and underground events venue, the much-loved indie promises an even better experience for Jozi bookworms than what they have grown accustomed to over the years. Bookseller Tshepo Masuku is positive that lower rentals, tourist footfall, and the proximity of Reya Vaya and Gautrain stations all bode well for future business.
‘Blank slate’ – Tshepo Masuku manning the shop on opening day
SA Literary Awards winners announced
The 14th instalment of the South African Literary Awards took place on 7November at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History in Tshwane. The ceremony formed part of the 8th Africa Century International African Writers Conference, hosted by the wRite associates. There were 18 winners over 12 categories, including prizes for translation and journalism. All the winners can be viewed here: www.sala.org.za
