Forest of Reading

The Forest of Reading Program is a Canada wide reading program run by the Ontario Library Association. It is Canada's largest recreational reading program with 250,000 participants annually from schools and public libraries.

Whyte Ridge School has been participating in the Blue Spruce program for the past 4 years. Each year, classes are challenged to read 10 Canadian picture books and vote for their favourite story. Students discuss the themes, characters, settings and illustrations and the program quickly becomes a whole school book club. The books are always in high demand and the program has helped students to develop an appreciation for Canadian authors and Canadian books. This is one exciting way that Whyte Ridge School promotes a culture of literacy and reading.

Our students said:

My favourite book was Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox. It was a nice story about animals which I like.

~ Caileigh Gr 3

I liked The Good Little Book. The owner in the story like reading books and so do I!

~ Kami Gr 1

InvisiBill was my favourite. I like it because he turned invisible of course. He could play jokes on his little sister and it was funny.

~ Miles Gr 1

The Night Gardener has pictures that feel real. I loved the pictures.

~ Marco Gr 3

I liked The Night Gardener too. The pictures felt like real animals. I like how when the pictures were black and white the people were sad and when the pictures got colour the people became happy.

~ Creelyn Gr 3

Extension For Parents and Kids:

I Read Canadian Book Challenge – Read 150 Forest of Reading books from the 1,270 titles nominated since 1994.