This was my first encounter with the Waikato Literacy Association. Dr. Wendy Carrs provided information on the upcoming talk by Rob Southam from Scholastic books, “The Power of the Book.” The memories Rob created when she asked us to close our eyes and remember our first books as a child. We thought of the golden books with their gold and black binding and the room echoed with the voice of Enid Blyton, The Famous Five, and The Secret Seven. I looked around the room to the delight of happy faces recalling these times.

Rob is passionate about the importance of children being read to aloud by their families and teachers at school. It was also of interest, the way that she explored the books to give more ideas to interest children to become readers. Some examples are the inclusion of picture books to create a conversation about the text and the illustrations. The hook of the first book in a series by the same author which is how our son started reading for pleasure. I feel as Rob does, the importance of creating opportunities for children to get immense pleasure from being read too, reading and becoming life long readers.

Suzanne, University of Waikato student.