Events Partner Events French programming at the Vancouver International Writers Festival
| French programming at the Vancouver International Writers Festival |
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La Joie de Lire is both the title and the purpose of the programs in French at the Vancouver International Writers Festival. This year, the events for K-12 school students will feature the work of five authors: Susie Morgenstern (France), Jacques Pasquet (Québec), Pierre Pratt (Québec and Portugal), Zachary Richard (Louisiana and Québec) and Jennifer Tremblay (Québec). Students studying French as a second or third language will delight in knowing that Susie Morgenstern, born in New Jersey, knew three words in French when she moved to France with her French husband. Since then, she has written many books in French. In 2005, she was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, a distinction given to individuals distinguished for their artistic or literary contributions. She will be presenting her books to both elementary and secondary students at the Festival. Jacques Pasquet will be presenting a nonsense book and a narrative story at Festival events for grades 4 to 7. Pierre Pratt is perhaps best known for his many beautiful illustrations of books. At the Festival, Pratt will be presenting a book to students in K-3 that he both wrote and illustrated. Teacher may recall Zachary Richard’s visit to the Festival in 2002. We are delighted that he is returning this year, with the third of his Cajun tales. Jennifer Tremblay, who writes for television and plays and books for adults as well as children, will present two of her children’s books to students in K-3. All events take place entirely in French. The format of the events, with the assistance of a moderator, encourages interaction between students and authors. Study guides have been developed (and posted on our website) to assist teachers’ preparation of their students for Festival events. TICKETS GO ON SALE AT 8AM, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 ORDER: A limited number of subsidies, based on financial need, are available through the Cynthia Woodward Development Program. Teachers intending to apply for a subsidy should contact Brenda Berck, Programmer of La Joie de Lire, at
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or (604) 681-0315. Event #2 Pierre Pratt reads, and illustrates the words in Le jour où Zoé zozota, both seriously and with humour. There are times when the images suggest something different and unexpected. The humour of the text, the opportunity to discover how the images illustrate (or don’t) the words and the opportunity to discuss and challenge will delight children of all ages. Suitable for students in K-3 Anyone heading for the moon must have courage, and Matisse certainly does. And Miro, on earth, has a very big heart. Join author Jennifer Tremblay as she tells stories of adventure and of friendship, of seeking famous lunar cows, and of caring for 22 ducklings in the midst of a thunderstorm and possibly wild animals. Suitable for students in K-3 Event #11 A boy lives a solitary life with his grandmother and is befriended by a new student in his class, the only girl in a family with 13 sons. An Arab boy and a Jewish girl meet and converse with each other over the phone, becoming familiar with each other's culture and becoming friends. Two friends create a club whose activities will help save the planet. Imarvaluk, who lives with her Inupiak community on a tiny island between Russia and Alaska, knows well the challenge of climate change on her home and family. And Amina, living in fear in a country at war, finds hope. This variety of books by Susie Morgenstern and Jacques Pasquet explore the challenges and opportunities of friendship. Suitable for grades 4 to 7 There are many types of love: love of self, love of another, love of country, of nature, of family, of a job, and more. Luckily, there are fewer ways of writing about love: here are two. One author writes directly about relationships between and among people. The other author writes about imaginary animals as a way of focusing on larger issues—including love. This event will offer an opportunity to talk about writing, as well as about love. Suitable for grades 8 to 12 Event # 26 Two writers tell stories that are derived from specific histories and yet, have universal meaning. One author’s tales derive from the history of the Acadians and the Cajuns, the other, from the recent war in Sarajevo. Even those of us who didn’t experience these histories directly feel the impact in our communities. Suitable for grades 4 to 7 Susie Morgenstern has said that the only way for her to “speak” was to write. As a child, she wrote for hours. As an adult she began to write and illustrate children’s books. All her books focus on everyday life and the “real world”. Through discussions of Morgenstern’s books, this event will offer an opportunity to talk about writing, as well as about our own everyday lives. Suitable for grades 8 to 12 |
