TVOKids host Gisèle brings a reading adventure to libraries during the Keep
Toronto Reading festival

    
    -   Gisèle to perform in free live stage shows on Saturday April 10 and
        17 at Toronto's York Woods and Parkdale branches

    -   Pick up free tickets a half hour prior to each show - limited seating
        available; first come, first served
    

TORONTO, March 24 /CNW/ - TVOKids host Gisèle, star of TVO's early learning program block Gisèle's Big Backyard, will celebrate the joy and magic of reading in a free live stage show, "Gisèle's Reading Adventure," coming to select Toronto libraries this April during the Keep Toronto Reading festival. A marquee event in the month-long, city-wide book celebration, "Gisèle's Reading Adventure" will be presented at the York Woods library Saturday April 10 and Parkdale library Saturday April 17 with two performances at each.

"Gisèle's Reading Adventure" showcases Gisèle and the book-loving knight Sir Readsalot in a rousing and interactive song-dance-reading extravaganza incorporating key elements of early literacy. Sir Readsalot's trusty steed Bookmark has gone missing, and Gisèle and Sir Readsalot must call on their Big Backyard friends as well as kids in the audience to find him. In solving the mystery, Gisèle encourages kids to brush up on their ABCs, shows them how to print a lowercase letter, identify and sound out letters and words, use words to convey a meaning, and complete the spelling of a word. As kids will discover, it takes letters, words, a spirit of adventure and most importantly, great teamwork, to crack this case.

"Each day on television I have the privilege of being a part of kids' lives and showing early learners how fun and inspiring the alphabet and words can be," says Gisèle Corinthios, host of Gisèle's Big Backyard. "I'm thrilled at having an opportunity to get kids excited about reading in a live, interactive environment, and there's no better place than the library to do this. I hope that 'Gisèle's Reading Adventure' motivates kids to discover the letters and words that surround them in everyday life, and to enjoy reading with their families."

Free tickets are available for a total of four performances. Tickets can be picked up at the library box office a half hour before each show. Seating is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Each show runs approximately 30 minutes.

The performance schedule is:

    
    Saturday April 10 2010
    York Woods Branch, 1785 Finch Avenue West
    10:30 am and 1:30 pm

    Saturday April 17 2010
    Parkdale Branch, 1303 Queen Street West
    10:30 am and 1:30 pm
    

Following each show, kids will receive giveaway bags containing a variety of fun literacy-based activities. And at tvokids.com, kids can continue "Gisèle's Reading Adventure" online in the new game, "The Adventures of Sir Readsalot."

Gisèle's Big Backyard is TVO's Gemini-award winning early learning block for kids aged 2 to 6. It airs weekdays from 6 am to 3:30 pm, and provides programs and online activities that nurture children's literacy, numeracy and social skills, and help prepare kids for success in school and beyond.

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Where to find TVO

Cable channel 2 (channel may vary in some areas), Bell TV channel 265, Shaw Direct channel 353.

For further information: Media contacts: Angela Garde, TVO Communications, [phone] x 2305, [email protected]; Paul Ginis, TVO Communications, [phone] x 2445, [email protected]