May 6th to the 13th is Canadian Children's Book Week in Canada and the Airdrie Public Library is celebrating.

Lindsey Skeen, the Children and Youth Services Manager at the library says Children's Book Week is the largest and most important national event that celebrates Canadian children's books and the importance of reading.

"Each May authors, illustrators, story tellers, poets, fan out over the country and give over 400 readings across the country and visit over 28,000 children and teens in hundreds of communities across the country.  We don't always get a reading so this year it's really exciting to have John Martz joining us."

Martz will be at the library for two readings on Thursday, May 11th.  Martz is a cartoonist and illustrator from Toronto.  His readings will take place at 9:15 am and 10:30 am.  Skeen says they'll have some school groups attending the readings.

Martz started out in graphic design and television before finding his true calling of books and comic books.  Martz has been drawing cartoons and illustrations professionally for about ten years.

Skeen says Canadian Children's Book Week is meant to develop a love of reading in kids, but there's much more to it.  "A love for reading, a celebration of reading, an encouragement in reading.  But not just reading, but various types of literacies like illustrations, story telling, poetry, all those various types of literacies."

 

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