This year marks a decade of reading alongside Shanghai’s International Literary Festival, and YCIS Shanghai’s campuses celebrated the momentous occasion with plenty of activities.

ECE and Primary classroom doors were turned into life-size illustrations of Dr. Seuss tales, Smelly Socks and Dear Zoo, among other children’s classics. To expand students’ knowledge of literature from around the world, parents were also invited to become storytellers for a day, sharing traditional tales from their native countries and even in their native language, while the students enjoyed hot chocolate.

For upper school students at the Century Park Campus, Librarian Sheila Seiler organised a school trip to hear Harold McGee speak on the chemistry in foods, after which the students returned to campus for dinner, discussion and a sleepover in the library.

The Gubei Campus was honoured by author and explorer Jeff Fuchs‘ presence and talk about appreciating the Ancient Tea Horse Road as a marketplace not just for teas and spices, but also for language, DNA and lessons on perseverance and courage in the rugged Himalayan regions.

Bryne Stothard, co-ordinator of YCIS Shanghai’s study trips in China, added, “Jeff embodies the true spirit of the East-meets-West philosophy that underscores the YCIS education by adopting the Chinese culture as his own. It is in that same spirit that we encourage our students to participate in our Education Outside the Classroom trips as well as our World Classroom trips, and we were thrilled to have Jeff visit and talk at YCIS Shanghai.”

People who read this article also read:Author and Explorer Speaks at YCIS ShanghaiYCIS Shanghai Sponsors Literary FestivalCzech Republic and Poland World Classroom Trip 2011