International Literacy Day is celebrated on Tuesday, 8 September, but Camana Bay is celebrating Literacy Month the whole month long. To encourage the love of reading in children – and to help adults to rediscover their enjoyment of all things literary – Camana Bay has partnered with Books & Books, Camana Bay Cinema and non-profit organisation Literacy is for Everyone to offer a host of activities, events and experiences centred around reading throughout September.

“Literacy Month is a time to encourage kids of all ages to expand their horizons, enter new worlds and experience new beginnings,” said Fraser Barrie, assistant store manager at Books & Books. “It gives a chance for these young readers to better understand their community and surroundings in an engaging way.”

Literacy is for Everyone – also known as LIFE – is a local non-profit organisation dedicated to raising literacy levels in the Cayman Islands. The organisation supports initiatives that target reading ability among school-aged children and adults.

“We are so thankful to Camana Bay and Mail Boxes Etc. for their community spirit in hosting this children’s book drive for LIFE. Book drives like these are the backbone to LIFE’s Classroom Library Project which has put over 27,000 books into classroom libraries in public schools in Cayman,” said Erin Galatopoulos, book donations coordinator for LIFE.

All are encouraged to bring gently used books, suitable for students ages 4 to 16, to the Mail Boxes Etc. drop-off box throughout September. These books will be donated to LIFE to assist in their Classroom Library Project.

“Book drives are a fantastic way for community members to show support for our public school students, and we thank you for each and every book,” Erin added.

Story Time

In line with this year’s theme, Dive into Literacy, Books & Books is offering under-the-sea themed Story Times for toddlers and children on 5 and 26 September, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Scavenger hunt

Complimentary activity sheets are available at Books & Books for children to pick up and experience a water-themed scavenger hunt! Completed activity sheets can then be returned to Books & Books in exchange for a 10% off coupon.

Literary-inspired family movie nights

Read the book, then watch the film! Families can catch a variety of ocean-themed movies throughout the month of September, ranging from classics such as “The Little Mermaid” and “Jaws” to new family favourites such as “Finding Nemo” and “The Little Mermaid.” Daily shows of each movie will be at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 4:15 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. on Sunday.

Family movie night dates

• 4-10 September: Finding Nemo
• 11-17 September: Jaws
• 18-24 September: The Little Mermaid
• 25 September-1 October: Moana

Share the love of reading

Take a trip up the Rise, the only exclusively pedestrianised walkway in the Cayman Islands, for a photo with the giant READ sign throughout the month of September. If photos are shared on Facebook or Instagram using the #CamanaBay hashtag, they could be featured on Camana Bay’s social media channels.

Advent calendar competition

From 1 September, children ages 6-16 can visit Books & Books and share their favourite book to be entered to win a chance to open an advent calendar competition at Books & Books during the holiday season.

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About Camana Bay

A destination within a destination, Camana Bay is a vibrant town located in the heart of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory.

Situated on 685 acres between Seven Mile Beach and the North Sound, this mixed-use master-planned community is one of the first examples of New Urbanism in the Caribbean.

Developed by Dart Real Estate, Camana Bay offers more than 650,000 square feet of commercial office and retail space as well as 63 luxury apartments available for long-term lease, and condos, townhomes and duplexes at OLEA, Camana Bay’s first for-sale residential project. The town also offers public spaces for all to enjoy, world-class shopping and dining, as well as family-friendly entertainment, events and attractions.

For more information, visit camanabay.com and keep up with the latest developments on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.