Bookrapt (The Bay of Plenty Children's Literature Association)

Bookrapt is a group of writers, artists, schoolteachers, librarians, parents and grandparents with a passion for children's literature. The organisation provides an opportunity to learn about the excellence of published authors, and to promote their literature through various activities for children and parents in the Bay of Plenty. Bookrapt promotes public awareness of the value of books and reading for young people with a focus on encouraging appreciation of New Zealand children's literature. Bookrapt was formed in 1983 (as the Bay of Plenty Children's Literature Association). Our activities include: • involvement with, and financial support for, related community and council events such as the Hairy Maclary & Friends waterfront sculpture project on The Strand in Tauranga, • buying award-winning NZ children’s books for the Tauranga City Libraries' Joyce West Collection, • supporting local children's authors through our website, Facebook page, and book launches, • supporting Bay of Plenty schools participating in the International Kids Lit Quiz: the Sport of Reading, • financial support for annual young writers’ short story competition, • providing tutors for school holiday writing workshops, • reviewing and promoting recently published children’s books, • organising and running an Annual Children’s Literature Seminar.