MEDIA RELEASE

May 2008

  A WORLD OF WORDS AT THE CTBF 2008'S CHILDREN'S ZONE

A special Children's Zone, featuring story circles, demonstrations, games and displays of children's books, has been planned for this year's Cape Town Book Fair (CTBF).  The Book Fair runs from June 14-17 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Entry is free for all children accompanied by an adult. It is advised that people arrive half an hour before each scheduled event, as venues tend to fill up quickly. The activities are aimed at children from ages from 3 to 12. 

The internationally-renowned children's book author, Niki Daly, will again be present along with contemporaries, Dianne Case, Piet Grobler, Lesley Beake and Marjorie Van Heerden. Other highlights include the incomparable Gcina Mhlophe, a reading by Alexander McCall Smith, storytelling sessions with Gilly Southwood, and a wildlife trivia quiz with Dawid Van Lill. There are several fun activities for children, such as yoga, special appearances by storybook characters, singing, dancing and decorating.

"The unparalleled success of last year's Children's Zone confirmed the crucial role that books still play in children's lives," says Vanessa Badroodien, Director of the CTBF. "Recognising both the popularity and the importance of books and reading for young people, we decided to extend the activities. We've also enlarged the floor space for children - it's three times as big as last year, with separate areas for different activities."

Mark Espin

CTBF