World Read Aloud Day

World Read Aloud Day was celebrated in true St Stithians style on 7 February; we went big! For the first time ever, all 2600 students from the BC, GC, GP, BP and JP, spent an hour engaging in a whole-campus reading activity. Older students were paired with younger buddies and enjoyed sharing and reading aloud a pre-chosen piece from one or two of their favourite books brought from home. Whether they were picture books or chapter reads, every book shared a special place in their hearts on the day.

But that was not all! Our girls enjoyed a captivating performance by Hooked on Books; a zany show that never fails to entertain, inspire and teach a thing or two about the power of storytelling. After the performance, our friends from Exclusive Books joined us with a pop-up sale featuring the novels showcased in the production - all at a 10% discount. This was a fantastic opportunity to add some new gems to the girls’ home libraries. Additionally, The Travelling Bookshop which has an extensive range of the latest publications at truly unbeatable prices, was stationed in the girls’ library for further shopping at budget prices. Parents were also welcomed onto the campus to visit this book sale at any stage during the day.

Our 7 February fun ended in style with a truly exceptional evening function. Ruda Landman, a well-known presenter of M-Net’s Carte Blanche and Dr Nokuthula Msimang, author of Sunday Times’ Gold Star Award winning novel, Daughters of Nandi, among countless other riveting tales, presented on the importance of sharing stories via reading aloud or otherwise. Both Ruda and Nokuthula read from their novels and shared their thoughts on how literature uplifts, unites and inspires. A bespoke bookshop featured at this event, along with light refreshments.

There can be no doubt about it; World Read Aloud Day was a celebration of the magic of reading, the power of stories, and the joy of coming together as a community to share our love of books.

Mrs Sian May

Head of English