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A total of 59 students received awards in this year's Reading Programme for Children and Youth organised by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL). This popular reading programme encourages students to recommend their favourite books by creating drawings or book reports. Among this year's entries, one young reader illustrated his favourite book, "Can I Play too?", with an interesting drawing of a pig, a snake and an elephant dancing around. Another entry came from a senior primary student who, after reading "The Illustrated Mum", was very grateful to have a real mum who always looks after him, and a junior secondary student used simple words to describe Eileen Chang's "18 Springs".
These students received "Book Report – Star of the Month" and "Reading Supernova" awards today (November 16) in a certificate presentation ceremony held today at Hong Kong Central Library. In addition, a library volunteer received a "Gold Award" in recognition of their effort.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Libraries and Development), Mr Lee Yuk-man, said reading is an integral part of personal growth and helps to enrich knowledge, mould character and provide wisdom.
"It is a lifelong benefit for children to start reading from an early age so that they can continuously learn from books in their life journey," he said.
He pointed out that the Reading Programme for Children and Youth is designed to stimulate members' interest in reading and encourage them to share their reading notes and experience with others, thereby inspiring more students and friends to enjoy the fun of reading.
Launched by the HKPL in 1984, the Reading Programme for Children and Youth has been well received in the community and now has over 160 000 cumulative members. The programme was revamped last year with new activities to encourage young readers to share their reading experiences with others and participate in various library activities.
Children and youths from kindergarten to secondary six can join the programme individually or through their schools. Children from kindergarten to primary three are encouraged to join the family category so they can read with their parents.
The programme includes various activities like "Reading Footprints" to record reading progress; "Sharing My Joyful Reading" to share the fun of reading experience; "Recommending My Favourite Book" for participants to recommend and share the books they read; and "Monthly Meeting of Joyful Reading" to broaden their scope of reading. All these activities aim to encourage greater participation in library reading activities and raise interest in reading. A new activity includes electronic books to be more in line with the reading habits of the new generation.
Members who submit a reading report will be eligible for selection as "Stars of the Month" and "Reading Supernova". Members actively attending the "Monthly Meeting of Joyful Reading" will be presented with a medal for "Elite of Joyful Reading".
In the 2012-2013 reading programme, 41 outstanding creative book reports were awarded "Book Report – Star of the Month" and 11 of the these were awarded "Reading Supernova". Sixteen were awarded with "Elite of Joyful Reading" medals.
The following five schools actively promoted reading activities under the programme: Pak Tin Catholic Primary School, SKH Tin Wan Chi Nam Primary School, SKH Yan Laap Primary School, Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church Primary School and Aberdeen St Peter's Catholic Primary School. The following five schools also actively participated in the programme: SKH Chi Fu Chi Nam Primary School, SKH Yan Laap Memorial Primary School, SKH Yan Laap Primary School, HHCKLA Buddhist Wisdom Primary School and SKH St Timothy's Primary School.
People interested in the reading programme and volunteer work at a library may contact any library of the HKPL for details.
Ends/Saturday, November 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:06
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