By Teresa Toten
“I Read Canadian Day is the perfect way to celebrate how amazing Canadian kidlit is! Our students are always so excited to read and discover all kinds of books and the fact that they’re Canadian makes them extra appealing. As a teacher librarian, I love building that excitement through displays and activities. This year we all loved getting to see so many authors and illustrators in one place during the live streams.”
Kim Kondo, Teacher -Librarian, Brock Public School
The third annual I Read Canadian Day celebration took place on November 2nd, 2022 and was a resounding success. Once again, our Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau led off the proceedings with an enthusiastic welcome to the day’s festivities.
Teachers have told us that IRCD is one of their favourite days on the school calendar and this year was no exception. Over 3,200 schools and classrooms totalling over 100,000 students across Canada joined in either live or taped depending on their time zones.
A total of twenty-six Canadian kidlit creators participated in three-minute recordings extolling the virtues and importance of READING CANADIAN. The morning session, which focused on grades K through 4 was led by our exuberant hosts, Mireille Messier and Wally Shaw while Angela Misri and Carol-Ann Shaw steered the afternoon for grades 5 to 9.
Twitter wasn’t silent either. I Read Canadian Day trended number three at its height and stayed trending all day thanks to the furious fingers of Canadian authors, illustrators, teachers, librarians, and readers!
November 2nd flourished because of the tech wizardry of Sigmund Brouwer and Paul Coccia and the hard work of Lana Button. I Read Canadian Day is ably supported by the Ontario Library Association, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Canadian School Libraries, and the leading role of CANSCAIP. None of this would be possible without the instigation, anchoring and ceaseless cheerleading of Eric Walters.
Let’s all READ CANADIAN!
Get a taste of I Read Canadian Day celebrations with these recordings of the 2022 celebrations.
I Read Canadian Day 2022 Livestream: Grades K-4
Hosted by Mireille Messier and Wali Shah and featuring an amazing group of Canadian authors and illustrators including Sigmund Brouwer, Monique Gray Smith, Barbara Reid, Michael Martchenko and Ruth Ohi and Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
I Read Canadian Day 2022 Livestream: Grades 5-10
Hosted by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Angela Misri and featuring an amazing group of Canadian authors including Kenneth Oppel, Teresa Toten, Melanie Florence and David Alexander Robertson.
The next I Read Canadian Day will be on Wednesday November 8, 2023
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Teresa Toten is a multi-award-winning author of twelve novels available around the world. Her latest novel EIGHT DAYS plays with themes of belonging, secrets and trying to find your people. Teresa is married with two children and is the proud owner of a deeply neurotic dog, Cheever.