A literacy group focused on encouraging reading among boys on Chicago’s South Side will hold its first public book event this weekend. The Brilliant Brown Boys’ Book Bonanza is scheduled for Saturday at 605 E. 71st St., the office of the nonprofit Gyrls in the HOOD.
The free event, open to children of all ages, will begin at 11 a.m. and feature community story time, games, puzzle activities, and raffle prizes. Families are encouraged to register ahead of time.
Chez Smith, who started the Brilliant Brown Boys Book Club in 2020, said she was motivated by her experience volunteering at her son’s school. “All the girls would run to the books, but the boys were moaning and groaning,” Smith said.
Smith noted that many school books lack characters that reflect the boys reading them, which can make reading feel disconnected or uninteresting. At her club meetings, eight to ten boys gather on Saturdays to read and discuss stories featuring positive Black characters and culturally relevant themes.
After years of running these small group sessions, Smith wanted to expand her efforts with a larger community event. The Book Bonanza aims to reach more children and introduce them to reading for enjoyment. “My work is rooted in community, so I’m always going to look for a way to bring more people together,” Smith said. “We want to promote a day of putting the devices down and coming in to pick up some books.”
Families attending can buy books priced between 50 cents and $1. Attendees will also receive “Brilliant Bucks” that they can use for free selections from a special section. The selection includes material for early readers through teenagers across various genres such as comedy, autobiographies, and self-help.
“I think it’s cool when kids have their own money and they’re buying the things that they like,” Smith said. “I think it’s especially great for them to be buying books.”
Smith emphasized that events like this are particularly important amid declining literacy rates and increased attempts at banning certain books in schools nationwide. “It’s important for boys to understand how important books are in understanding their history and the role that books have played and will continue to play,” she said.
She plans future Book Bonanza events later this year with hopes of hosting one outdoors featuring vendors and authors: “We’re going to start with the boys and get people reading again,” Smith said. “We’re sparking a passion for leisurely reading that’ll hopefully carry them into manhood.”
