The Rocca Sisters Blog

Today is Family Literacy Day, a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 and held annually on January 27^th to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.

It is so important to take the time each day to read with our children, even if it is just for 15 minutes a day.  Make reading an enjoyable and distraction-free experience that is part of your day-to-day life.  Bed time stories are the perfect opportunity to bond with your children while encouraging their reading skills.

In honour of Family Literacy Day, the Rocca Sisters & Associates would like to highlight some children’s authors that have resided in Burlington, Ontario.

Lana Button

Lana Button is a children’s author, freelance writer and early childhood educator.  She has worked with young children for more than twenty years. She is also a freelance writer, and has contributed child development articles to national magazines including Today’s Parent and ParentsCanada.  She is the author of Willow’s Whispers, Willow Finds a Way and Willow’s Smile.  For more information about Lana Button and the books she has written, please visit her website at www.lanabutton.com

Sylvia McNicoll

Sylvia McNicoll is an award-winning author of more than 30 novels for young people.  She was an editor for “Today’s Parent Toronto” for eight years, and is best known for her award-winning published works such as Project Disaster, The Big Race, Jump Start, Bringing Up Beauty and Caught in a Lie.  She has a passion for reading and writing and enjoys teaching young writers. For more information about Sylvia, please visit her website at http://www.sylviamcnicoll.com/.

Chris Francis

Chris Francis is a junior level teacher in Burlington, Ontario.  He has a passion for writing and illustrating and is currently working on a middle grade series. He has also created a teen-fiction story titled, Stoneway. Also known for his children’s picture books called Mr. Pancake Turkey, How Mr. Monster Biggens Changed My Life, etc. His latest children’s book is called Remembering Kaylee Cooper. More information can be found on his website at www.francisart.com.

Jennifer Maruno

Jennifer Maruno is a long-time educator.  Her debut novel, When the Cherry Blossoms Fell, was shortlisted for the Hackmatack Award and the Pacific Northwest Libarary Association Young Readers Choice Award.  She is also the author of Warbird, Cherry Blossom Winter, Kid Soldier, and Totem. She enjoys working with children and teachers to foster a love of reading. For more information, please visit www.jennifermaruno.com

There are so many resources available to help foster a great literacy environment in your home.  It is so important to encourage our children to have a love of reading and it is our responsibility to lay a good foundation for literacy in children.