Stories Across the North: Community Reading & Book Giveaway

Yellowknife – NorthWords NWT Festival: PJs & Pancakes
Northern Quill Publishing will host a children’s story time during the beloved PJs & Pancakes morning event at the NorthWords NWT Festival. Families will gather for a cozy, community-oriented morning featuring entertainment, a pancake breakfast, and live storytelling. Authors will read from their children’s books, and every attending child will receive a free book to take home—ensuring lasting impact beyond the event.

Hay River – Hay Days Festival
Northern Quill will deliver a two-part program at the Hay Days Festival.

1. Community Talk: The History of Commercial Fishing in the North
   Local historian and author Fran Hurcomb will present stories and insights from her research on the commercial fishing industry’s vital role in Hay River’s cultural and economic history. Every attendee will receive a copy of the book Chasing Fish to deepen their connection to the region’s heritage.

2. Children’s Story Time & Book Giveaway
   A family-focused story time session will feature authors reading from a variety of children’s titles. To foster early literacy and encourage a love of reading, each child will receive a free Northern picture book to take home.

Who Will Benefit

This project is designed to benefit a wide cross-section of northern residents, with a special focus on children, families, and community members who may not otherwise have access to books or opportunities to engage with northern stories.

In Yellowknife, children and their caregivers will participate in the NorthWords NWT Festival’s PJs and Pancakes event. This popular family gathering combines food, entertainment, and storytelling in a comfortable, community-oriented setting. The addition of a Northern Quill Publishing story time, along with free books for every child, ensures that families leave not only with warm memories but also with lasting resources to support literacy at home. The direct beneficiaries here are local children—especially early readers—who gain access to engaging, culturally relevant books that reflect their northern environment and experiences.

In Hay River, the program has two layers of impact. First, adults and elders will benefit from a public talk on the history of the commercial fishing industry, using published works as reference. Attendees will receive free copies of the book, Chasing Fish, deepening their appreciation for the community’s history and providing a permanent record of this vital part of Hay River’s cultural identity. This strengthens local pride, preserves collective memory, and fosters intergenerational conversations.

Second, Hay River families and children will benefit from a dedicated story time event featuring Northern children’s titles. Free distribution of books at this session ensures that even those who may face barriers to purchasing books are included. This helps families build home libraries, supports early literacy, and encourages a love of reading.

The ripple effect extends beyond direct participants. Schools, libraries, and community organizations in both Yellowknife and Hay River gain from the broader availability of northern-authored and northern-published books, which strengthen representation and cultural connection in children’s literature. Parents and caregivers benefit from accessible programming that promotes shared reading, while northern authors gain a platform to connect with audiences and build community recognition.

Ultimately, this initiative benefits northern children, families, adults, and elders alike. It promotes literacy, celebrates local history, and fosters community cohesion through the simple but powerful act of sharing stories and books.