Sunday Times Books LIVE

Published in the Sunday Times

The Enumerations ****
Máire Fisher, Umuzi, R280

Máire Fisher has followed her successful debut novel, Birdseye, with the polished The Enumerations.

The story explores 17-year-old Noah Groome, who has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and how he impacts his family, friends and the people he encounters in rehab after a school bully pushes him too far.

The most impressive aspect of this novel is its structure; a fast-paced collage of the various storylines.

These short, punchy sections show a kaleidoscope of the anxious minds of Noah and his family, echoing how it can feel to have OCD and live around it.

“My work wasn’t ever going to be to make the reader feel comfortable,” Fisher admits. But what an interesting ride she has created.

Readers will cheer for Noah as they develop sympathy for the unsympathetic, and take delight in minor characters, including the fabulous and bold Willa, who Noah meets in rehab.

However, the true heroine is Noah’s little sister Maddie, who is both a warrior and friend to her brother.

Fisher explains: “She knows what her job is: to be – and remain – a happy, sunshine child. That places a large burden on young shoulders.”

A book of this complex nature, both in subject matter and structure, required heavy research along with many drafts: “First person, third person, past tense, present tense … poor old Noah has been through so many incarnations,” says Fisher.

Yet the finished product reads smoothly, creating an experience and an empathy that lingers. @ms_tiahmarie

Book details

• The Enumerations by Máire Fisher
  EAN: 9781415209646
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

PEN South Africa, in collaboration with the Institute for Creative Arts, will present the 2018 Day of the Imprisoned Writer on Thursday, 15 November (5:30 PM) at Hiddingh Hall, Hiddingh Campus, University of Cape Town.

Writers will give readings and presentations in solidarity with jailed artists around the world on this notable day.

RSVP to ica@uct.ac.za.

Click here for more on authors featured on the programme and the cases of the five incarnated artists to be commemorated.

By Anna Stroud

 
Energy crackled in the air – the kind that makes every hair on your body jig, from your nose to your toes.

It’s a powerful sensation watching nine teams brainstorm, craft and chisel away to create nine beautiful children’s books in less than 12 hours. And that’s exactly what happened on Saturday, 27 October, as volunteers drove into the heart of Johannesburg to participate in the 12th edition of Book Dash.

The Streetlight Schools in Jeppestown was the perfect home for the Book Dash crew. The schools started in October 2013 in a small store-room in Bjala Square and their aim is to create globally competitive schools in the most underserved areas in South Africa.

In 2016, they launched the flagship Streetlight Schools: Jeppe Park where we hung our hats for the day. Judging from the drawings on the wall and the wholesome menu on the blackboard, it’s a nice, caring place to learn.

The nine teams of three – writer, illustrator and designer, plus one editor for two teams – experienced that care first hand. The school’s support staff kept us fed, hydrated and happy as we worked our way to the finish line.

“Everything we do today is a gift to the world,” said Book Dash founder Arthur Attwell at the start of the day, while his six-year-old son (and unofficial Book Dash cheerleader) beamed at us from across the room.

Book Dash originated in 2014 from the founders’ belief that each child should own 100 books by the age of five. The books are available for free under the Creative Commons Attribution licence and in all 11 official South African languages.

The Book Dash model has been replicated by various groups in and outside South Africa, and the Android app recently hit just over 100 000 downloads worldwide!

This 12th edition was made possible by the Otto Foundation Trust, which allows Book Dash to print and distribute the books.

One of the reasons why I volunteered as a Book Dash editor is the feeling of positivity and goodwill that permeates the room.

Throughout the day, the love spreads from writer to editor, designer to illustrator, facilitator to support staff, barista to photographer to videographer, and back again, like a never-ending cycle of good vibes. (Yes, we had our own barista!)

In the morning, all the writers and editors gathered in the library to read their stories aloud and to give each other feedback. I’ve never experienced such an affirming group of people, who gave each other advice on how to make their stories better and built each other up every step of the way.

It wasn’t an easy feat.

As the day progressed, illustrators’ hands started to cramp, designers started to see double, writers and editors went back and fro with coffee, snacks and kind words to motivate them to the finish line.

Then the final stretch: proofreading for wayward punctuation, frowning at fonts with their own free will, and watching the clock count down to the final minutes.

And then – sweet release – the work was done and we could bask in each other’s glory.

The teams took to the stage and the writers read their stories aloud to roaring applause. The final book caused all the tired creatives to collapse in fits of laughter: somewhere in the night, a car backfired just as one writer read the line: “What’s that noise behind the tree?”

The books will be available soon – but here’s a sneak preview of the magical titles that came to life during the day:

• I don’t want to go to sleep!
• The Great Cake Contest
• The very tired lioness
• Dance, Mihlali!
• Let’s have an inside day!
• Mali’s Friend
• Auntie Boi’s Gift
• Lions are always brave
• What’s at the park?

To experience some of the magic, follow the hashtag #BookDash for live coverage on the day or visit their website to find out how you can get involved.

Via READ Educational Trust

In a country of great contrasts and diversity, in which the future seems filled with uncertainty, our focus should be on empowering our young people at all costs.

What better way to do so, than with helping them discover facts about their world, and most importantly, about themselves, through that one little gift we should be passing on from generation to generation; from child to child: the gift of reading.

For nearly 40 years, READ Educational Trust has focused on promoting literacy across South Africa.

This is achieved through various programmes, with Readathon being READ’s pride and joy. In conjunction with National Literacy Month, held in September, READ is excited to unveil the fifth Readathon Red Reading Box; an invaluable tool to encourage reading amongst a broad cross-section of learners.

Each Red Reading Box has had a fascinating theme, and this year’s is no different. The ‘Finding Facts’ box is visually appealing with its ‘Superpower’ look and feel. It is designed to help children discover their special skills through a fact-finding mission which begins and ends with reading. Children are taught that reading is their superpower … it’s the key to unlocking facts about the world around them, about what interests them, and about what they are good at!

 
In the 2018 Red Reading Box you’ll find a ‘Finding Facts Magazine’ – a place to find out about our ancestors, our family, our country and our culture. The ‘Superhero Journal’ is a journey of self-discovery, and ‘Everyday Heroes’ is a book filled with stories about children similar to the readers. The ‘Finding Facts Cut-Outs’ book contain instructions for all the games in the box, as well as fun cut-outs. Games include a ‘Flags of Africa’ game, ‘Word Power Playing Cards’ and more.

 
While we’re on the topic of facts, a heartening statistic is that 12 000 children have been reached through Red Reading Boxes over the past four years. The Pizza Hut Initiative in support of the Africa Literacy Project, distributed an additional 2 500 this past year, and READ aims to distribute 3 000 new Red Reading Boxes this year.

 
An additional Literacy Month activity saw the new Box being launched at Boepakitso Primary School in Soweto, on Friday 7 September. Children were delighted to explore the boxes and their contents, and were even more thrilled with the donation of several Red Reading Boxes for their school.

 
Educators and parents are urged to purchase a Readathon Red Reading Box for only R255. Every cent of the profits is ploughed back into promoting literacy in disadvantaged communities across South Africa.

To find out more, visit www.read.org.za or purchase your Readathon Red Reading Box directly from the READ Online Shop for R255 – https://thereadshop.co.za/. Join the conversations on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/READEduTrust

Twitter: www.twitter.com/READEduTrust

Instagram: www.instagram.com/read_educational_trust

“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”

Liberty Two Degrees (“L2D”) has partnered with international award-winning South African poet and social philosopher Athol Williams and Read to Rise, a non-profit organisation that promotes youth literacy in under-resourced communities, to boost literacy and creativity this National Literacy Month.

In its commitment to making a positive contribution to the communities it operates in, L2D together with Read to Rise, will roll the initiative out across its portfolio. The initial phase will commence at L2D’s superregional assets, Sandton City and Eastgate Shopping Centre, with Liberty Midlands Mall and Liberty Promenade joining the initiative in the first quarter of 2019.

While children in the foundation phase should be reading an average of 40 books a year, children in South Africa’s poorest and most under-resourced communities are reading as little as one book a year; which limits the development of their minds and imaginations.

South Africa was ranked last out of 50 countries in the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) study, which tested the reading comprehension of learners in their fourth year of primary schooling. 78% of South African pupils at this level could not read for meaning, a further reflection of how South Africa is lagging behind other developing countries, when it comes to literacy.

L2D endeavours to provide more than 6000 young children an opportunity to own books, as a medium to nurture their love of reading, and ultimately improve their performance at school.
A challenge has been posed to schools to share the joy of reading with someone else.

For every reading book that learners and/or schools purchase, the same book will be donated to an underprivileged child. Sharing the importance of reading; learners, educators and parents can visit www.readtorise.co.za to order books, which will be delivered directly to the school. Schools that have bought the most books will win their share of R20 000 in gift vouchers from Sandton City and Eastgate Mall. (Terms and conditions apply).

In addition, L2D, through Sandton City and Eastgate Mall is treating 200 children on an excursion to both malls on the 26th and 27th September 2018, where they will be afforded a sensory experience in celebration of the book. A trio of South African actors will adapt and perform this piece in an entertaining and engaging way, involving the children as audience members to understand the core messaging of Oaky The Happy Tree, a feel good children’s book. Through role play, the children will be whisked away to an imaginary land, recreated by Sibusiso Mdondo, Schelaine Bennett and Taryn Louch.

Read to Rise excites children about reading and gives new books to learners in under-resourced communities. To date, the organisation has visited over 2 400 classes to conduct their programme and given out over 120 000 new books; and together with L2D, by turning the book into an interactive theatre piece, the aim is to ignite the children’s passion for books.

Nal’ibali – the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign – kicked off National Literacy Month (celebrated in September) – with the launch of their fourth Story Bosso competition at Uncle Tom’s Community Centre in Soweto on August 31st.

In commemoration of the 30 days dedicated to encouraging a love of reading, storytelling and writing, this annual multilingual storytelling competition invites all South Africans (storytelling has no age restriction!) to enter a story of their own, with the winning entry being published as a book, and the adroit author receiving a cash prize of R 5000.

The theme of this year’s competition is none other than ‘South African hero’s’ – be it your mother or Winnie Mandela, your father or Fatima Meer, a best buddy or Bonang – Nal’ibali is interested in reading your story on that one singular South African whom you regard as a true Hero. (Yes, with a capital ‘H’ sommer!)

Schoolchildren, Nal’ibali volunteers, FUNda Leaders, Miss Soweto, and none other than UN Goodwill Ambassador and South African icon, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, were present at this joyous occasion which included improv games, singalongs, an intro to the Sustainable Development Goals (à la Ma Yvonne), and an opportunity for the children to play Nal’ibali’s inventive Hero’s board game.

Take a look at the day in pictures, courtesy of Daniel Born:

Yvonne asked two volunteers (“one boy and one girl, please”) to join her in reading the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals out loud. (And after reiterating the importance of number four – ‘help children in your community to read’ – forthrightly stated that one shouldn’t “just dala WhatsApp.” #truth!)

 

The kids were invited to try their hand at Nal’ibali’s Hero’s board game to get those creative storytelling juices a-flowing.

 

High five to heroes and storytelling!