On Tuesday, May 22, the Toronto District School Board held its annual “Read to Succeed” Boys Literacy Conference at the Double Tree Hotel in Toronto. Guest speakers and performers included storytellers Dan Yashinsky and George Blake, authors Eric Walters and Aubrey Davis, rapper QTMC, and basketball-trick artist Quincy Mack. The following is a Q&A with Iago McEvenue, a grade three student at Toronto’s Dewson P.S. and one of the boys selected to attend the all-day conference. (He is also the son of a Quillblogger.)

Q&Q: So how many boys from your school attended the conference, and how were you picked?

Iago: Ten. My librarian – Ms. Bunting – picked me.

Q&Q: Why were you all picked?

Iago: Because we’re book freaks.

Q&Q: Had you ever heard of this conference before?

Iago: Not at all.

Q&Q: Did you know the other nine boys? Were they all the same age as you?

Iago: No, I only knew some of the boys. They were all different ages.

Q&Q: Where was this thing held?

Iago: We were in a big hallish, square room.

Q&Q: How many other kids were there?

Iago: The hall was full of kids; you could barely move.

Q&Q: So what was the first thing you did there?

Iago: We had to wait a little while and look at books for our library when we got to the hotel.

Q&Q: How did that work?

Iago: Our librarian was asking us questions about the books.

Q&Q: Like?

Iago: “Do you like these books?” “Do you think we should get them for the library?”

Q&Q: Got it. Then what?

Iago: We heard two folk stories and a ghost story.

Q&Q: Who was telling the stories?

Iago: It says on the paper. Some … guy. Wait, let me get his autograph…. [Digs out a piece of paper.]

Q&Q: Dan Yashinsky? What did you think of all that?

Iago: He told us a story about his grandfather. It was really funny: there was this bully, in Romania, and he told his grandfather to go and say this bad word in Romanian to his mum…. [Tells story.]

Q&Q: Dramatic stuff. So after the stories, what happened?

Iago: We went to have lunch.

Q&Q: It says here there were books for sale during the lunch. Is that true?

Iago: Yeah.

Q&Q: Who was buying them?

Iago: A bunch of other kids from other schools.

Q&Q: OK, skipping ahead. Who spoke to you in the afternoon?

Iago: This old guy … I think his name was George Blake. He did a story called “Death” that was really good.

Q&Q: What else happened?

Iago: We saw QTMC, and a famous basketball trickster. [Lists the numerous tricks performed. This takes a while.]

Q&Q: What did that have to do with literacy or reading?

Iago: It was just entertainment.

Q&Q: So did other librarians talk to you? Did any booksellers talk to you?

Iago: No.

Q&Q: So you heard stories, and saw basketball tricks, etc., then what?

Iago: We each got to pick one book for the library, but then Ms. Bunting tricked us and gave them to us.

Q&Q: Then what?

Iago: We went home.

Q&Q: Did your librarian talk to you after?

Iago: Yeah: “How was it? Did you like it?” And we all said, “Yes.”

Q&Q: And did you like it?

Iago: Yes.