Hooked on Books Outreach came to Salvazione Primary School in Brixton on 13 August.
Hooked on Books is a theatre show that performs at different schools to promote reading and literacy.
The cast are members of the Johannesburg Junior Council Arts and Culture Committee (JJC). The committee is an accelerated leadership programme for students.
Shaeleen Tobin commented, “The Hooked on Books team were extremely proud to partner with the committee for the first time this year, our focus being on encouraging the love of reading and books in children countrywide. By training the young committee members in the art of children’s theatre, we were able to not only up-skill these talented young performers but also had the opportunity of taking a Hooked on Books show to less-fortunate schools in and around Johannesburg.”
During rehearsal, the JJC held a book drive in order to donate books to Salvazione Primary and The Sunshine Association. Thousands of books were collected.
The council performed two stories, Malorie Blackman’s, The Monster Crisp Guzzler, and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. At the end of the performances the cast formed reading circles with the children and the donations were handed over. Publishing houses – Random House and MacMillan Children’s Books – donated copies of the stories to the organisations.
Mandy Bailey, principal of Salvazione Primary School, urged the crew to “keep on doing the fantastic work you are doing.”
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