The Book Nook at SM Aura in Taguig City served as a wonderful venue for the celebration of National Children’s Book Day.
Kristine Mandigma, president of the International Board on Books for Young People Philippines (IBBY PH), a non-profit organization committed to bringing books and children together, stated that this event is a partnership between IBBY PH, Vibal Foundation, and SM Cares.
The Book Nook is a project of SM, with Book Nooks in several malls. According to Mandigma, “The purpose of the Book Nook is to provide a space for kids to gather together and participate in activities like storytelling and reading, promoting literacy, and fostering a love for reading.”
Assessing the love for reading among the youth, Mandigma said it is something that needs to be addressed. “Kids right now are very screen-oriented, focused on TikTok and other platforms. They absorb information this way, which is why we want to ensure that with SM Book Nook and activities like National Children’s Book Day, kids still understand and appreciate the power of the written word through books. I believe that if you expose them at an early age, it will stay with them.”
The participants in the event are children in grades four to six (intermediate level). Taguig City and SM invited these children.
Mandigma added there are several activities in celebration of National Children’s Book Day.
“Aside from the storytelling sessions happening right now at the Book Nook, we also have an awarding ceremony for children’s stories with the National Book Development Board and the Philippine Author of Books for Young People at the Cultural Center of the Philippines,” she stated.
Mandigma expects the National Children’s Book Day to serve as a symbolic day to promote reading and highlight the importance of books.
While screen time is inevitable and unavoidable, citing the benefits of reading physical books is important. Mandigma shared that the message is to balance screen time with book time, saying it is also important for parents to read aloud, especially to younger kids.
“Reading stories with your children is a bonding moment and creates good memories and experiences,” she said. This approach is supported by research and can foster a lifelong love of reading.
To entice kids to read books, Mandigma underscored authors can participate in more activities like this, in cooperation with local and national governments, nonprofits, or nongovernmental agencies promoting reading. “Publishers should also conduct storytelling sessions, reach out to parents, and engage with children.”
As the country ranks poorly in creative thinking according to the Programme for International Student Assessment, Mandigma pointed out that it must be a societal effort, involving both civic society and government.
“At IBBY, we want to work with local governments to run targeted literacy programs. This includes classroom interventions with teachers and concrete methods to improve reading.
Without a solid grasp of reading, critical thinking is challenging,” she added. Before critical thinking can develop, students must first be able to read and understand text, and then interpret it critically.
“We have a program that we want to pilot with a local government unit (LGU), though I’m not naming the LGU at this time. It focuses on grades one to three, the formative stage,” she remarked. “The program aims to ensure that kids in this age range develop the ability to read and understand text.”
At present, IBBY PH is working on a partnership with an LGU, but it is not yet finalized. “I hope it will be ready by the Manila International Book Fair in September,” Mandigma shared. The fair will take place within Metro Manila this year.
Mandigma advised that the continuous encouragement of reading books is crucial. “If reading is only seen as a classroom requirement without support at home, children might view it as an obligation rather than a love. This habit needs to be fostered as a lifelong enjoyment.”
Children might be more familiar with Western children’s books due to cartoons and media.
To enhance familiarity with Philippine children’s literature, she said there needs to be synchronization between media and literature. “If children see and read about books in media, it will help them remember and engage with them. This integration could be a key factor in developing a stronger appreciation for local literature,” she noted.
Besides the storytelling sessions, a special puppet show was also one of the much-awaited activities for National Children’s Book Day at the Book Nook of SM Aura.
