KNYSNA NEWS - The Magic of Knysna, a new children's book featuring stories written and illustrated by members of the local community, is helping to support early childhood development (ECD) centres across the municipality.
Proceeds from sales will go directly towards the Knysna Education Trust's (Ket) work with young children.
The collection of seven stories was made possible through the support of 32 sponsors who covered all production costs, allowing 100% of the proceeds to benefit local ECD centres.
The project drew strong community participation, with Ket receiving 37 story submissions. Seven stories were selected for publication, including three written by authors younger than 16.
Among the tales is the story of Sophie, a young girl who climbs out of her bedroom window to fly over the Knysna lagoon on the back of a bowtie-wearing cormorant. Other stories take readers through the town's forests, along its shores and into its streets.
Each story is accompanied by activities for families to enjoy together, while a map and treasure hunt included in the book encourage children and visitors to explore Knysna through its pages.
According to Ket, the publication was inspired by research highlighting the importance of books in early childhood development.
South Africa's 2024 Thrive by Five Index found that access to books at home is strongly linked to improved language, numeracy, motor and social-emotional development among young children.
"We wanted to put a beautiful book into Knysna hands, one that reflects the town these children are growing up. And we wanted every sale to do double duty: a book in a child's lap, and a contribution to the centres where local children spend their earliest years," said Ciara Mayne, head of communications at Ket.
The Magic of Knysna - the book of stories by Knysna writers, including three children under 16.
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