Another event in Magicana’s community outreach program took place at the end of June, when magicienne, Julie Eng, performed at the Children’s Book Bank for 30 children and teachers from the Regent Park community of Toronto.
The Children’s Book Bank is an organization that promotes reading and the building of personal libraries for those who would not otherwise have an opportunity to own books. The children who attend this magical place are encouraged to browse the bank’s storefront for books their choosing to be added to their own library – free.
This particular show was for a group of Grade Four students and teachers from Sprucecourt Elementary. After some initial hesitation, the students warmed quickly to the magic and we heard enthusiastic “oohs” and “ahhs” after each successive magic trick. The clapping and appreciation got progressively louder and after the show, Book Bank volunteers were flooded with inquires to see if there were any books on magic available.
As described by Director of Inventory and Outreach programming, Reagan Walton, from the Children’s Book Bank: “This was a treat for this class because they had done extra work for us reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone together as well as writing reviews about the book.” And as a result, the feedback has been most positive: “I think it was a great event and I know the kids were SO happy about it”, Reagan commented. What’s better than magic and books? The Children’s Book Bank.