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Robert Munsch among authors welcoming immigrant families to Guelph (7 photos)

Event connects Guelph's new refugee families with city's vibrant children's literature community

Guelph-based author Eric Walters backed up his words with action Saturday at Westwood Public School.

Walters was the driving force behind Welcome Neighbours, an event that featured a who's who of Guelph children's authors connecting with immigrant families through literature.

The authors, illustrators and other invited dignitaries all read a page aloud from a new children's book called Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey, written by British Columbia-based author Margriet Ruurs, to an audience of immigrant families.

The page was then read aloud in Arabic by interpreters.

Walters, who said he speaks to roughly 150,000 school children across the country, said he tells children that we need to welcome refugee families "the way we were welcomed into the country."

"I realized those were lovely words I was saying, but what was I doing to back up those words? I wanted to do more than just say we should welcome them, I wanted to do something to actually welcome them."

With the help of some of his author friends, the Upper Grand District School Board and several corporate donors, Saturday's Welcome Neighbours event was created.

Walters had heard about Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey on the internet and reached out to the publisher of the book, which isn't even on shelves yet. They sent copies for all those in attendance Saturday.

Nine of the most celebrated authors and illustrators in Canada were at Saturday's event, led by Canada's reigning king of children's literature, Robert Munsch.

Others joining Walters were Jean Little, Kathy Stinson, Jo Ellen Bogart, Janet Wilson, Lisa Dalrymple, Kira Vermond and Werner Zimmerman.

School board representatives, MP Lloyd Longfield and Guelph MPP Liz Sandals and Wellington-Halton MPP Ted Arnott also read a page from the book.

"This is the epicentre of children's writing in the country, here in Guelph," Walters said. "You won't get a bigger, more influential group of children's authors in the country gathered anywhere this year than was gathered here today. It's an amazing group of people," Walters said.

"Canadians are a kind, caring, compassionate people."

After the reading, some of the children of the immigrant families sang a song in both Arabic and English for those gathered.

Children then received copies of books written and illustrated by the authors in attendance, including some of Munsch's work that has been translated into Arabic

Bonnie Talbot, the UGDSB's Superintendent of Education, helped Walters put Saturday's event together.

"Eric said he was doing something to help welcome newcomer children and had friends who were authors willing to help," Talbot said.

"The idea that Eric and I talked about is that we can help make newcomers feel welcome into our community and secondly we could connect them to children's authors. Many of these children wouldn't have their own books," Talbot said.

Roughly 30 Syrian refugee families have arrived in Guelph this year and up to 60 more families are expected by the end of the year. Other families have come from other countries, such as Iraq.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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