A magical story time in Cambridge

Rachel Hunter, teacher Rosemary Neal-King and Goody Goody Gumdrops ice creams make story-time magical for a class of littlies at Hautapu School.

It was a match made in the 1980s when Rachel Hunter stepped out of a Trumpet ad and onto the world stage. Fonterra Brands (Tip Top) and Rachel teamed up again last year to find new ways to give NZ’s littlest Kiwis moments to remember, with initiatives using funds from Tip Top’s factory tours.

This year Tip Top and Rachel have linked up with the Storylines Trust to promote the importance of reading aloud to children. Their goal is to highlight the magic of the story-time moment as well as the story itself.

The three-way partnership, with the support of local publishers, has turned a donation from Tip Top’s factory tours of $20,000 into more than $50,000 worth of good quality children’s picture books for schools.

More than 2000 primary schools are being encouraged to apply for a small parcel of the FREE books for school libraries by simply clicking on Tip Top Books at www.storylines.org.nz or www.tiptop.co.nz before 1st September, 2008, with priority given to low decile schools in the event the offer is over-subscribed.

In a letter that went to NZ primary school principals last week outlining the book offer, the chairperson of the Storylines Trust Dr Libby Limbrick says: Reading aloud from good literature is most important if we want our children to be good readers and to love reading.

“Children of all ages enjoy being transported to an imaginary place with engaging words and pictures in a good book, especially if it’s read aloud to them by someone close. The Storylines Trust is delighted to be part of this project and we hope it helps encourage quality story-time at home and at school this Book Month and every day of the year. We are grateful to Tip Top and Rachel for their generosity,” says Dr Limbrick.

At the launch of this initiative in rural Cambridge, Rachel received a new copy of her favourite childhood story The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, and Tip Top Goody Goody Gum Drops ice creams were served in keeping with the words of Storylines patron Margaret Mahy which feature on the project’s bookplates: ‘Wishing you lots of ice creams and lots of stories to lick them to.’

Iconic neighbourhood dog Hairy Maclary, the timeless Little Yellow Digger, hill country sheep dogs Echo and Hush, and the enduring Mrs McGinty will also be there on the pages of the books being presented to Hautapu Primary, Tamahere Model Primary and schools around the country.

FOOTNOTE: The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, by Beatrix Potter published in 1906, is Rachel’s favourite childhood story. After fishing misadventures which see him swallowed and spat out by a trout, Mr Fisher dresses up and enjoys dinner with his best friends Sir Isaac Newton Newt and Mr Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise. Not partial to roasted grasshopper with ladybird sauce, Mr Ptolemy brings his own salad in a string bag.