iReadDADAbooks

 

Most people who go on to become great writers started reading as children. It is a proven fact that people who start reading early have a greater chance of developing sound minds as well and a balanced worldview. It is also true that literature is a very important tool for mental development—children who read tend to do better than their peers.

It is December, time for another edition of iRead, and this time we are looking at that cross-genre classification, Children’s Literature. To better understand what children literature entails we will be asking key questions., What exactly is Children’s Literature ? Who decides what children want to read and the language it should be written in? What is the best way to approach age specific writing? Do children have a choice when it comes to literature, or must adults select what they think is appropriate for them?

To get the right kind of answers we will be interacting with two writers with ample experience working with children, Sola Alamutu and Mama Agbaa herself Mobolaji Adenubi.

Mobolaji Adenubi: Mama Agbaa actually needs no introduction to anyone familiar with children literature in Nigeria. Decades ago, she retired from the Federal Civil Service Nigeria to devote her time to writing. She’s been promoting creative writing, particularly the children genre for over two decades. She was the pioneer president of the Women Writers of Nigeria (WRITA) and a past vice-chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Lagos State Chapter.

In 1995, her first published book Splendid, the biography of a young physically challenged boy, won the Professor Wole Soyinka's sponsored Christopher Okigbo Prize for Literature. She currently gives talks to secondary school children on creative writing and reading for leisure. She also tells stories weekly to blind and hearing-impaired primary school children.

Sola Alamutu: Ms Alamutu is the brain behind Children and the Environment (CATE), an organisation that creates awareness in children about the importance of the environment. She is a co-author of CATE Saves the Ikopi Rainforest, a children’s book that won the 2004 ANA Prize for Children’s Literature. Alamutu, is also author of two activity books for children aged four to eight and nine to fourteen. Sola Alamutu facilitates the children creative writing workshops at the Garden City Literary Festival (GCLF).

To give us the right kind of atmosphere and to generate sector specific feedback, we will be joined by the major stakeholders, children.

In addition, DADA Stores, our gracious hosts, end of the year sales starts same day. As such, come prepared to buy gift items such as kiddies books, shoes, bags and loads of other gift items.

Mazi Chiagozie Nwonwu and Nike Arigbabu will moderate event.

Venue: CORA House 95 Bode Thomas Surulere (Upstairs)

Time: 2-6 PM

Date: Saturday, 15th December 2012

Bring a child with you and stand a chance of winning DADA Stores’ end of the year gift.