Join host Josh Taylor along with Aimee Reid, Anoosha Syed, Naseem Hrab, Charlene Chua & Sherry Lee, My Friend Christopher and Annie Weber as we explore neighbourhoods, talk about families and explore friendships. Our friend Annie Webber will also help us create a very special piece of art.
Aimee Reid
Join Aimee Reid as she presents You Are My Friend: The Story of Mister Rogers and His Neighbourhood. This book is a gentle homage to Fred Rogers and shows how his simple messages of kindness, empathy and acceptance still resonate with us today.
Aimee Reid is an author with a background in education and editing. She taught high school English, Music, and Special Education before she began to work full-time as a writer. You Are My Friend shows us all sorts of ways that we can be caring to one another.
Tour with Josh Taylor
Join our host Josh Taylor as he explores some of our local neighbourhoods to learn what makes each area special and unique.
During this presentation, we’ll have some questions about your neighbourhood…be sure to follow along and post your answers in the comment section on Facebook for a chance to win a book from one of our presenting authors!
Anoosha Syed
Join Anoosha as she shares the story of six-year-old Bilal, who introduces his friends to his favorite dish—daal! The slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting. This charming picture book, Bilal Cooks Daal, showcases the value of patience, teamwork, community, and sharing.
Anoosha Syed is a Pakistani-Canadian illustrator based in Toronto who has a passion for creating charming characters with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.She graduated with a BFA in illustration at Ceruleum: Ecole d’arts Visuels in Lausanne, Switzerland.
My Friend Christopher
My Friend Christopher is a performer on a mission to bring vintage music styles to new audiences. His debut album (Dec. 2019) is a roots soundtrack for daily challenges like getting dressed, whistling practice, and understanding what the cat wants. Join us as he shares a song of friendship with our audience. Sing along, get up and dance, or just sit back and enjoy the music.
Naseem Hrab
Join Naseem Hrab for her presentation of Weekend Dad. In this story, the boy and his dad follow their normal weekend routine—they eat eggs for breakfast, play cards and spend time at the park. And then they do the same things on Sunday. It is hard to say goodbye at the end of the weekend, but Dad gives his son a letter to remind him that, even if his dad can’t always be there, the boy is loved.
Naseem Hrab has written a poignant yet hopeful story, strikingly illustrated in Frank Viva’s signature style, about what happens when parents separate, and the new reality of having two homes.
Friendship Bracelets with Annie Webber
Join Annie Webber as she introduces the audience to different ways to symbolize friendship through the making and wearing of friendship bracelets.
Materials Needed: Embroidery Floss, Scissors and (optional) sea beads
Charlene Chua & Sherry Lee
Join Charlene Chua and Sherry Lee as they present Going Up.
An elevator ride to a birthday party turns into a shared experience bursting with joy in this multicultural story about community, togetherness and the special feeling of belonging.
Children will relate to the excitement and anticipation of a birthday party and the fun of riding in an elevator as it fills with new people at each stop. Cultural diversity is beautifully represented along with a sense of community and belonging. Charlene Chua’s illustrations provide loads of funny details and visual narratives that make for a multilayered reading experience.
