A Message from the National Librarian

Roch Carrier

The Nature of Words

In his text Beauty, Poetry, Life, Michel Noël speaks respectfully of Grandmother Moon, Grandfather Sun, of his brother the Tree and sister Raindrop, sharing with young readers the lesson taught by his ancestors - an important and beautiful lesson about living in harmony and in a spirit of fraternity with the environment. The majestic maple leaves that transform themselves into birds perfectly illustrate the chosen theme of Read Up On It - The Nature of Words. The tree that appears on the front cover assumes a symbolic value for the illustrator Ludmila Zeman; this maple with its gigantic leaves protects children and provides them with a place of refuge. The illustration becomes a source of inspiration for young readers; the tree is a safe haven, a secret place to read and dream. It's a place where imagination takes root.

This year's Read Up on It contains books inspired by nature and the environment, stories and images that will encourage young readers to explore nature's universe: wide-open spaces, natural events and the importance of the environment. Nature can be a source of inspiration for the characters or be the story's main focus. Children's writers and illustrators help young readers to respect, understand and appreciate nature and the environment.

Read Up On It enables us to get to know or rediscover a selection of Canadian books for youth, from children to young adults. Its objective is to introduce Canadian authors, illustrators and their books, thus encouraging reading.

This publication is made possible thanks to the help of the following partners and sponsors: the National Literacy Secretariat, the Canada Post Corporation, the Canadian Library Association (CLA) as well as the Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation (ASTED). We are also grateful for the support of other organizations such as the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, Communication-Jeunesse, Access network, Télé-Québec, TFO, TVO Parent Break and YTV. We sincerely thank each of these organizations.

During her interview, Ludmila Zeman wished that "each child be surrounded by books, legends, and joy to help them create in turn their own stories, their own legends." Thanks to Read Up On It, beautiful stories are presented to young readers. It is now up to each reader to turn the pages, to discover the nature of words.

Roch Carrier