Franschhoek Literary Festival

I had such a great time at the festival this year. It was a priviledge to talk and tell stories to the pupils of Bridge House School and Groendale Primary.
Some of the schools that we authors visited were really underpriviledged and under-resourced. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a person shouldn't be able to focus on higher order needs when they're cold or hungry or not physicallly safe, yet these children were transported beyond the dire challenges of their here-and-now by the stories they listened to. For a time, they had a glimpse into other lives, into fantasy and dreams and adventure and excitement.
Rich or poor, old or young, this is the magic of reading for all of us. We all need to escape, to learn and to hope.
Read to children, cultivate their love, and yours, of story.