FRANÇAIS
COMPLETE LIST & ARCHIVE OF KEY MEDIA MENTIONS
What is the Forest of Reading?
The Forest of Reading® is Canada’s largest recreational reading program with more than 270,000 readers taking part every year across the country, through schools, public libraries, literacy centres, and at home. This is a paid program that parents, schools, public libraries, and other institutions register to gain exclusive access to hundreds of ready-to-use resources and voting privileges.
The Forest of Reading program is also a children’s choice award program — one of only a few programs in Canada where the readers choose the winners. There are ten award programs, distinguished by age group and reading level, each with ten nominated titles. Typically, more than 4,500 total registered sites and institutions register in the program, with an average 155 readers participating at each registered institution. Our program cultivates the love of reading and empowers readers to vote for their favourite titles on a national level. The winners are typically announced at the Forest of Reading Festival.
The Forest of Reading represents over 25 years of excellence in Canadian literature, while financially supporting the Canadian publishing industry. Our official wholesaler, Tinlids, does almost $2 million in sales on the Forest of Reading titles, selling more than 145,000 books every year.
The Forest of Reading Festival is the annual culmination and celebration of the Forest of Reading that happens in-person every May, bringing together young readers, authors, illustrators, teachers, library staff and parents. Since 2021 the addition of digital Award ceremonies help the program reach audiences near and far.
Our Impact
The Forest of Reading engages readers with books they enjoy by selecting Canadian books they actually want to read and supporting programming at the library and school level. A love of reading permeates throughout a reader’s entire life. Reading for fun positively impacts a reader — both in and outside of school. These readers experience higher rates of school achievement (in all subjects), higher rates of post-secondary education, and increased social and civic engagement, and overall, better employment, better health, and strong life satisfaction.*
We work towards removing barriers for readers to access our titles — that’s why all nominated books are available in accessible formats for readers with perceptual and print disabilities. By focusing on reading for pleasure through unique programming, unique books, and the unique experiences of the Festival of Trees events, we provide ample opportunities for all readers — including reluctant readers – to become lifelong readers.
*Source: Reading for Joy, P4E, 2011
Ways to Promote the Forest of Reading & Festival
We ask all publishers to please promote the Forest of Reading Awards as this is a great opportunity to not only promote the Forest of Reading, but your own nominated titles and authors.
Here are some ideas on how to promote it:
- Share or retweet content shared on the Forest of Reading accounts!
- Encourage your authors to promote the Forest of Reading Awards on social media.
- Retweet and share when we post the Forest of Reading Award Winners in May from the Forest of Reading accounts.
Participants, schools, and libraries are also welcome to promote the Forest of Reading on their social media accounts.
Some ideas include:
- Posting pictures of the books in action (being read, on the shelf, etc.)
- Sharing or retweeting content shared on the Forest of Reading Accounts.
- Sharing reviews by readers of the books and tagging the Forest of Reading Social Media accounts.
It is crucial to keep the love of reading alive and to support our writing, publishing, school, and library communities during these challenging times.
Social Media and Websites
Accounts:
- Forest of Reading Facebook (@ForestofReading)
- Forest of Reading Twitter (@ForestofReading)
- Ontario Library Association Facebook (@accessola)
- Ontario Library Association Twitter (@ONLibraryAssoc)
- Ontario Library Association Instagram (@ontariolibraryassociation)
- CBC Books Twitter (@cbcbooks)
- CBC Books Facebook (@cbc books)
- Curio Twitter (@CurioCBC)
Hashtags:
- #ForestofReading
- #IReadCanadian
- #Foretdelalecture
- #Deslivrescanadienspourmoi
Please tag the nominees, authors, illustrators, and publisher of the book(s) that you share on social media when applicable.
Media Assets – Available Now
- Forest of Reading Logos
- Winner Logos: If you require a digital copy of a program logo for a book cover (that indicates Winner), please contact forest@accessola.com.
The Forest in the Media
Here are some of the most recent publications which mention the Forest:
- Quill & Quire, Forest of Reading Awards kicks off three-day ceremony, announcing first round of winners
- CBC, Students across Canada chose these 9 books as the 2021 Forest of Reading Award winners
COMPLETE LIST & ARCHIVE OF KEY MEDIA MENTIONS
Contacts
Meredith Tutching
Director, Forest of Reading
Ontario Library Association
