ABC Life Literacy Canada

Families can laugh and learn together while writing a story for national contest; Enter online at www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca to win a visit from renowned children’s author

(Toronto, ON – November 4, 2010) – Pick up a pencil and play! That's what famed Canadian author Robert Munsch does. He uses his passion for writing to maintain his literacy skills while he creates memorable stories that keep millions of fans of all ages entertained.

Robert gets his ideas from meeting real kids and listening to them talk about their lives. Once he has a story idea, he writes it down. He shapes the story and plays around with words and sounds. Then he shares it with his editor at Scholastic and they edit and rewrite some more, until the story is just right. It's fun, it's satisfying, and it develops literacy skills.

Writing is a key component of literacy and a skill that requires regular attention and practice. Participating in the Munsch at Home Contest is the perfect way to share a love of reading and writing as a family (www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca).

“Write about something you have experienced as a family and then stretch it,” offers Robert Munsch to all those thinking of entering the contest. “Last year’s winning story seemed to be about the way a real family would interact with music. In that way it wasn’t make believe.”

With a writing contest in his name, and as the Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day®, Robert understands how writing and playing are perfect activities to unite families and communities together. With every book published, he welcomes readers into a world of fantasy and fun, where teaching and learning occurs through characters inspired from real life.

“I have three books based on my own kids,” said Robert. “Andrew’s Loose Tooth is for my son Andrew because he hated having his teeth pulled; Makeup Mess is for my daughter Julie because she really, really liked makeup; and Something Good is for my daughter Tyya because we always fought about what to get when we went grocery shopping.”

As an author, Robert keeps his writing skills sharp because of his job.

For the rest of us, learning to write is a rite of passage growing up. Something seems to happen, however, as we grow into adulthood. Our childlike joy of writing for pleasure and fun is lost, replaced by the burden of the requirement to write. How else do homework, to-do lists or quarterly reports get finished?

Literacy is a tool that opens up a world of imagination and opportunity to an individual. Bringing the whole family together to Play for Literacy is the cornerstone of Family Literacy Day 2011 and writing a story about how your family plays together for the Munsch at Home Contest is a fun way you can inspire your children to embrace learning.

“The Munsch at Home Contest shows just how easy and fun it can be to incorporate literacy into family time,” says Margaret Eaton, ABC Life Literacy Canada President. “We are proud to have Robert Munsch as the Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day and thankful that he is part of this great contest for the sixth year in a row.”

To enter the Munsch at Home Contest, please visit www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca for contest rules and regulations. The contest deadline is 5 p.m. ET on November 25, 2010.

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About Family Literacy Day:
Family Literacy Day, held annually on January 27, was developed by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 to celebrate adults and children reading and learning together, and to encourage Canadians to spend at least 15 minutes enjoying a learning activity as a family every day. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country participate in this initiative in their homes and communities every year. For more information, visit www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.

About ABC Life Literacy Canada:
ABC Life Literacy Canada is a non-profit organization that inspires Canadians to increase their literacy skills. We mobilize business, government and communities to support lifelong learning and achieve our goals through leadership in programs, communications and partnerships. ABC Life Literacy Canada envisions a Canada where everyone has the skills they need to live a fully engaged life. For the latest news and information on adult literacy please visit www.abclifeliteracy.ca, follow us on Twitter (@Life_Literacy) or join our Facebook page.

About Robert Munsch:
Robert Munsch is the author of more than 50 children’s books, including the Paper Bag Princess, Thomas’ Snowsuit and Love you Forever, which has sold more than 20 million copies in North America. Munsch and his illustrator, Michael Martchenko, have two new releases in Fall 2010: Mad About Munsch!, a collection of five favourite stories, and Too Much Stuff!, a picture book about a young girl who is determined to take all of her toys on a trip with her. Munsch is the most published writer in Canada and has been the Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day since 2003.

For more information, please contact:
Nadia Flaim, Communications Manager
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Tel: 416 218-0010 x122
nflaim@abclifeliteracy.ca

Ashley Tilley, Communications Co-ordinator
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Tel: 416-218-0010, ext. 127
atilley@abclifeliteracy.ca