905 Summer Reading Challenge is Back and This Year they’re Hitting the Courts

905 minutes of reading and some remarkable POC authors, back for the fourth year in a row.

TORONTO, June 3 2023- Today, First Book Canada, Raptors 905, and Penguin Random House Canada will launch the fourth annual Raptors 905 Summer Reading Challenge with participants diving into The Secret Diary of Mona Hasan by Salma Hussain.

To kick off this year’s Reading Challenge, 100 grade five students from across the GTA will come together at the MLSE Launch Pad for an exciting launch event. Onsite, participants will be running drills, building their skills on and off the court. The event will begin with a session from Vice President Courtney Charles, followed by remarks from the event’s sponsors and conclude with a live reading of Salma Hussain’s book "The Secret Diary of Mona Hasan". Other authors participating in the five-week virtual event series include Lisa Yee (Maisy Chen's Last Chance) and H. D. Hunter (Futureland: Battle for the Park).

And that’s not all!… Tangerine Project Forward™ has once again come on board to make the program available to 300 additional students, who can participate virtually across the country. Interested students in grades four, five, or six can register on a first come, first serve basis by purchasing the books locally and registering online at:firstbookcanada.org/raptors-905-summer-reading-challenge

“We have seen the power a new book can have on a child. The connection they make to the characters and story lines opens up a whole new world. We are so thankful to Raptors 905, Penguin Random House Canada and Tangerine Bank, for their ongoing partnership and making the wonderful world of reading that much more accessible to students across Ontario, ” said Heather Farquharson, Executive Director, First Book Canada.

This weekly reading club invites participating students to complete one book each week and then write a report outlining what they loved and learned from the story. At the end of each week, participants are invited to join a virtual reading celebration, connect with the book’s author, community leaders and their fellow participants to have a lively discussion.

Penguin Random House Canada VP Marketing Beth Lockley said, “There is truly nothing better than seeing a child inspired by the stories they read. We know a good book can open a young mind to new perspectives, new ideas, and help their imagination grow. We are thrilled to be able to support this important program for the fourth year in a row.”

“At Tangerine, we’re committed to help deliver programs that inspire confidence and leadership among Canadian Youth,” says Jane Jhaveri-Malt, Chief Customer Officer of Tangerine Bank. “We’ve seen the power of the 905 Reading Challenge and are so pleased to be able to help this program continue to grow so that we can empower more youth to benefit from the power of reading.”

Almost 25% of Canadian households do not have a single book. First Book Canada is transforming the lives of kids in need by making brand new, high quality books and educational resources available on an ongoing basis. Through a market-driven model, First Book Canada is creating equal access to quality education affordable to its member network of more than 12,000 educators who exclusively serve kids in need. Since 2009, First Book Canada has distributed more than 8 million books and educational resources to hundreds of thousands of kids across Canada.

Raptors 905 is the NBA G League affiliate of the 2019 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors.  The club has a short but rich history of winning and development. Current Raptors like Chris Boucher, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet all spent time with the 905, the latter two helping lead the 905 to the 2017 NBA G League Championship.  Raptors 905 also sets the benchmark for off court excellence and was recognized by the NBA G League as Franchise of the Year for the 2019-20 season.  Playing out of Paramount Fine Foods Centre, the team is proud to represent Mississauga and 905 community.

Penguin Random House Canada aims to nourish a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company publishes over 800 books in various formats per year in the North American market across nineteen distinct imprints and distributes another 10,000 titles in Canada on behalf of Penguin Random House publishers in the U.S. and the U.K., and many clients. It has also developed its own internationally recognized Toronto-based audiobook program and runs an in-house recording studio. Visit penguinrandomhouse.ca for more information.

Tangerine Bank is a digital bank that delivers simplified everyday banking to Canadians. With over 2 million Clients and close to $40 billion in total assets, it’s one of Canada’s leading digital banks. Tangerine Bank offers banking that’s flexible and accessible, products and services that are innovative, fair fees and award-winning Client service. From Savings Accounts to no-fee daily Chequing, Credit Cards, GICs, RSPs, TFSAs, Mortgages, lending products and Investment Funds through its subsidiary, Tangerine Investment Funds Limited, Tangerine Bank has the everyday banking products Canadians need. Through Tangerine Project Forward™, Tangerine is committed to empowering communities through programs and initiatives that inspire self-confidence, leadership and acceptance in Canadian youth. With over 1,000 employees in Canada, the bank’s presence spans its website and Mobile Banking app to its 24/7 Contact Centres and Toronto-based head office. Tangerine Bank was launched as ING DIRECT Canada in 1997. In 2012 Tangerine was acquired by Scotiabank and operates independently as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

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Tangerine Project Forward is a trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia

For more information, please contact:

First Book Canada:

Heather Farquharson

hfarquharson@firstbook.org

Craft Public Relations:

Mary Carswell-Gates

mary@craftpublicrelations.com