Join MOCA and Toronto’s WeeFestival for a series of children’s book readings and activities on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 from 11:00 am–1:00 pm. Each reading with its accompanying activity is geared towards ages 2+ and has a duration of roughly 45 minutes. Please note that registration is required for this programme series and can be completed through the WeeFestival website here.
The books chosen for this programme are a part of a temporary library of locally acquired children’s books housed within Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition I AM YOUR RELATIVE. The featured books will also be available for purchase onsite through Groundwood Books.
Saturday, June 4
Out the Window and Some Things I’ve Lost with Cybèle Young
Children will be delighted to hear Cybèle Young read from her humour-filled books Out the Window and Some Things I’ve Lost. Audiences will find her books charming and full of imagination, as they perfectly capture the frustration and thrill of losing something and finding it again—or finding something new in its place.
This Is How I Know with Sharon King
Brittany Luby’s book This Is How I Know will be read aloud by Sharon King in Anishinaabemowin. In this lyrical story-poem, a child and grandmother explore their surroundings, taking pleasure in the familiar sights that each new season brings. Audiences are guided through days filled with wildflowers, blueberries, mushrooms, melting snow and new beginnings.
Sunday, June 5—TD Community Sunday
Enjoy free admission on Sunday, June 6 through TD Community Sunday. TD Community Sundays are made possible by the TD Bank Group through its corporate citizenship platform TD Ready Commitment.
Sun Wishes and Moon Wishes with Patricia Storms
Patricia Storms will delight audiences with readings from her books Sun Wishes and Moon Wishes, along with ukelele music and interactive songs. Patricia brings to life the journey of the sun and the moon as they traverse across the sky, lightening up our gloomiest days and providing safety to adventurers and friends.
The Malaika Series with Nadia L. Hohn
Nadia L. Hohn’s childhood memories, Jamaican heritage, Black culture, world travels and social issues are fused together to create the warm, intergenerational stories of Malaika. Nadia’s prose, written in a blend of standard English and Caribbean patois, tells warm stories about the importance of family, love and togetherness.
The WeeFestival of Arts & Culture for Early Years is dedicated to the presentation of inspiring theatre and performing arts created especially for children ages 0-6 years and their families. They curate a dynamic and culturally diverse program of productions from around the world and across the country from leading companies and artists specializing in this field.
Groundwood Books is known for award-winning books that reflect the experiences of children both in Canada and around the world. Inspired by the belief that children’s books can be important and necessary without sacrificing warmth, beauty, playfulness and humour, Groundwood’s list is characterized by its emphasis on fiction and non-fiction about and for children whose stories might not otherwise be told.
