The theme of TD Canadian Children’s Book Week 2013 (May 4 – 11, 2013) is All the Bookshelf’s a Stage: Celebrating the Performing Arts.

With the rising popularity of television shows such as Glee, So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol and the CBC’s nation-wide talent search competitions How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Over the Rainbow, as well as Cirque de Soleil, the performing arts are in the spotlight these days.

Why are the performing arts so important? Because they offer young people an outlet for creative expression. Song writing, dancing, singing and performing are all ways in with children and teens can explore their emotions and express their feelings. By exposing young people to the performing arts, we are opening a new world to them – a world that could lead either to a fulfilling career in the arts or simply a greater and enriching appreciation of the arts.

Theatre, music, singing and dance are part of the dynamic cultural heritage of this country. The sacred songs and dances of our First Nations, the traditional Dragon dance of Chinese festivals, the jazz stylings of Oscar Peterson, the music of K’naan, the adventures of a circus performer, the work of a Shakespearean actor or even the experience of a child in her first stage performance – all are part of the tapestry that is Canada.

Book Week 2013 Theme Guide

Books can be the perfect venue for exploring these forms of performance art. The Canadian Children’s Book Centre has carefully sourced Canadian books that look at musical instruments, the circus, ballet, puppet shows, the opera, music, song and dance. These books will introduce readers to different art forms, as well as to characters whose lives have been changed because of a connection to music, theatre, song and dance.

Download the FREE 2013 theme guide here.

Book Week 2013 Poster and Bookmarks

Our Book Week materials will help you celebrate great Canadian children’s books and the performing arts! Marthe Jocelyn and Nell Jocelyn, the fabulous mother-daughter creative duo, have created a lively and fun collage image of a bookshelf overflowing with music, theatre, song and dance for our 2013 Book Week poster.

Order your Book Week posters and bookmarks today and save 20%!

For more information, please contact:

Shannon Howe Barnes
Program Coordinator
416 975-0010 x 227
shannon@bookcentre.ca