Toowoomba author Emma Mactaggart wants your kids to read.
There’s actually nothing she wants more. Which is why on Saturday 19 March she’s launching International Read to Me Day, so that kids all over the world will be able to answer the question: “who read to you today?”
Studies show that almost half of Australian adults have literacy problems. This affects their ability to complete every day tasks such as reading medication labels, letters, recipes and newspapers. Emma doesn’t want that future for Australian, or any, children.
“Literacy is a gateway skill for us all,” she says. “If you can’t read you get left behind in so many ways. This has a major impact on your opportunities in life. Reading and writing create social connection and this creates opportunity for all; this is key to Australia’s future success.
“We can all help children with their reading and I want to encourage children to ask for this by dedicating a special day to reading all round the world.”
Emma started her quest for world reading domination with a genuine love of books, and a desire to positively affect children’s lives. Because she loved books, she wrote her own kids’ book.
She wrote a few more, and then Emma founded her own publishing company, Boogie Books.
Some of us might have stopped there, but not Emma.
Her next step towards championing literacy for children led her to establish the Child Writes program, which guides children through the process of writing and publishing their own books. It’s been such a success that for the past five years Jetstar has included the published books in their in-flight entertainment package.
Emma says being read aloud to is the foundation for literacy. She wants to empower children to ask for more support for their education, not just from their birth family but also from their community.
“Children are everybody’s responsibility and child rearing should supported by the entire community,” she says. “I want children to benefit like I did from the world of books – and they need a community around them to do this.”
You don’t have to pay money or raise funds to join in on International Read to Me Day – just read a book to your kid, brother, sister, friend’s kid, niece, nephew or grandchild to get involved. And if you like, simply share a photo of you and your reading buddy on International Read to Me Day on Facebook, Twitter, or tag it on Instagram #readtomeday
For more about Emma and her incredible achievements in the field of literacy and publishing visit childwrites.com.au
