Today I have the absolute delight and pleasure of being part of the 22nd Book Dash. Book Dash is a not-for-profit, South African social impact publisher of open, African picture books for very young children. Based on the evidence, their vision is that “Every child should own a hundred books by the age of five”. How incredible!
I’ll be working with an illustrator (the amazing Gabriella Jardine), a designer (the lovely Jacqui Botha), and editor (the wonderful Diane Awerbuck), and alongside other groups of writers, designers, illustrators, and editors to create 12 children’s books in one day! AMAZING.
I am extremely lucky in that it is my third Book Dash event. I co-created My Inside Weather in 2017 and Look Up in 2021.
Today we’ll be creating the 200th Book Dash book. To date, the Book Dash team has distributed more than THREE MILLION books to children in South Africa, and millions more have accessed their books online. You can too – click here.
As someone who usually spends too much time working alone at her desk from her home, it is marvellous to be amongst a room of creatives who are all united with a singular purpose – to encourage children to enjoy and love books.
My only goal for this year was to create a children’s book. I am so so pleased that my goal will be achieved by the end of today.
If you’d like to follow along with the event, follow Book Dash on Instagram.
Jen Thorpe 