ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands — Hundreds of primary school students across the British Virgin Islands will get an early introduction to the magic of books and storytelling through a new literacy initiative leading up to the 2026 BVI Literary Arts Festival.
The Big Read Roadshow, powered by Ogier, will take local authors, educators and volunteer readers into 10 primary schools across the Territory during Reading Is Fun Week, October 5–9.
The five-day initiative is a new partnership between BVI Lit Fest and Ogier, and expands the festival’s popular Literary Wonderland Children’s Programme by taking books and storytelling directly into school communities.
Teams made up of local children’s authors, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College faculty, staff and students, BVI Lit Fest committee members and Ogier employees will lead interactive read-aloud sessions and discussions designed to encourage curiosity, imagination and a lasting love of reading.
The participating schools will also receive donations of children’s books to strengthen classroom and library collections and ensure that the impact of the Roadshow continues after the visiting teams have left.
The initiative is built around the belief that children should have access not only to quality books, but also to local authors and role models who can help them see themselves and their communities reflected in the stories they read.
Rochelle Smith, member of the BVI Lit Fest Organising Committee and Director of the Jennie N. Wheatley Institute for Virgin Islands Studies at HLSCC, said the programme is intended to introduce children to the possibilities that reading can unlock.
“The Big Read Roadshow is about ensuring that every child has the opportunity to experience the power of stories, connect with authors who look and sound like them, and understand that reading can open doors to limitless possibilities,” Smith said.
She added that organisers wanted to begin the 2026 festival journey with the Territory’s youngest readers.
“As we prepare for BVI Lit Fest 2026 under the theme Mouth Open, Story Jump Out, we wanted to begin where every great story begins, with our young readers,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful to Ogier for partnering with us to help place books into children’s hands and bring these experiences directly into schools across the Territory during an important week in the Virgin Islands.”
Ogier Volunteers Join the Roadshow
The initiative also forms part of Ogier’s community engagement efforts, with employees volunteering alongside authors and educators during the school visits.
Nicholas Brookes, practice partner at Ogier in the BVI, described the initiative as an example of organisations working together around a shared objective.
“The Big Read Roadshow is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared goal,” Brookes said.
“We’re delighted to partner with HLSCC to bring this new extension of the BVI Lit Fest’s Literary Wonderland directly into schools across the Virgin Islands.”
Brookes said reading plays an important role in lifelong learning, confidence and opportunity.
“We’re proud to support a programme that encourages young people to discover the joy of books,” he said. “Our Ogier volunteers are excited to be a part of the roadshow and to help create memorable reading experiences for children across the Territory.”
The Road to Lit Fest 2026
The Big Read Roadshow will serve as the first official event on the road to BVI Lit Fest 2026, which returns from November 5–8, 2026, under the theme Mouth Open, Story Jump Out.
While BVI Lit Fest has become known for bringing together authors, poets, thinkers and storytellers from the Caribbean and beyond, organisers say the Big Read Roadshow reflects the festival’s wider commitment to literacy, creativity and cultural engagement throughout the year.
By taking the programme into schools before the November festival, organisers hope to introduce more children to books, local writers and the possibilities that come with becoming confident readers and storytellers.
The initiative also puts a spotlight on the importance of ensuring that young people encounter stories that reflect their own experiences, culture and communities.
The message behind the Roadshow is simple: every great story starts somewhere — and the next generation of readers, writers and storytellers could be sitting in a BVI classroom today.
For more information about the Big Read Roadshow and BVI Lit Fest 2026, visit bvilitfest.com.