December library programs cater for all ages

An online talk by bestselling author Heather Morris headlines a busy December schedule for Cairns Libraries.

Author of the New York Times bestseller The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Ms Morris will be delivering a free talk via Facebook livestream on Thursday 10 December.

The annual school holiday program kicked off on Monday (1 December) and includes the popular Summer Reading Club for children off all ages.

Cairns Libraries also has a host of First 5 Forever sessions planned this month, including the new weekend workshops.

Mayor Bob Manning encouraged people to make the most of the programs and activities on offer during the school holidays.

“Reading is such an important part of a person’s life and libraries can play a valuable role in helping children’s literacy through a variety of programs, like First 5 Forever, and of course by providing access to books,” Cr Manning said.

“Libraries are more than just a place where people borrow books, they are a wonderful resource, providing materials, services and programs to engage children and adults of all ages.

“I would encourage everyone to take the time to visit their local library, especially during the school holidays, and discover a whole world of learning and entertainment.”

Author of internationally bestselling novels The Tattooist of Auschwitz and the sequel Cilka’s Journey, Heather Morris will talk about her latest book Stories of Hope: Finding Inspiration in Everyday Lives at a free livestreamed Facebook event on Thursday 10 December, from 7pm.

The author will also be answering questions which can be submitted in advance on Cairns Libraries Facebook event discussion or asked live in the comments on the night.

On during December and January, this year’s program has been themed Tales of Wonder: Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales.

The program targets children of all ages and includes Summer Reading Club Packs and Library scavenger hunt (available at all libraries), online cartooning workshops, and Sean Murphy’s ‘Commonwealth of Games’ interactive online event.

For more Information on the Summer Reading Club program go to the Cairns Libraries website at www.cairns.qld.gov.au/library.

Stories for Little Queenslanders is a series of 12 children’s picture books, published by State Library of Queensland, as part of the Queensland Government funded First 5 Forever initiative.

The books have been created exclusively by authors and illustrators with a connection to Queensland to promote early literacy and inspire a love of reading for children 0-5, and feature the adventures of mischief-making animals, quirky local settings and charming young characters reflecting the diversity of families.

These high-quality stories help children develop a sense of identity and belonging through stories that connect with their environment and local communities.

The books will be available in print, electronic and audio formats through Cairns Libraries from Wednesday 9 December.

A local speech pathologist will discuss reading stories as a tool to encourage children’s communication skills and how parents and carers can support language and literacy development at home.

The free livestreamed Facebook event is on Friday 18 December, at 10am.

There will also be selected Storytime and Baby Rhyme Time sessions in Libraries as part of this First 5 Forever program.

In December, the new weekend programs will commence with Storytimes on Saturdays.

Sessions will be held at Smithfield, City and Earlville Libraries, starting from 10am and running for approximately 30 minutes.

These sessions are ideal for children aged 2-5 years and their families and/or carers.

Talk Read Sing Play on Sundays at the City Library also start next month.

Sessions are from 9.30am to 11.30am, with children aged 0-5 years and their families welcome to drop in anytime throughout the morning.

Visit the Cairns Libraries website at www.cairns.qld.gov.au/library for more information.