Credit: Shannon Nickinson.

Pensacola Habitat for Humanity and the Historic Brownsville Community association want to bring the joy of reading to families with an event on Dec. 10.

The first official Brownsville Book Fest is from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Brownsville Assembly of God church, 3101 W. DeSoto St.

Book Fest aims to help families with children ages 4 to 12 experience the joys of reading in a creative environment. Habitat was awarded a small grant that will cover the cost of supplies for the event and books the children will be able to take home.

The Boys and Girls Club of Escambia County also donated new books to give to the children.

“The ability to read and write are crucial abilities to accessing technology and being successful in life,” says Peggy Fowler, neighborhood revitalization director with Habitat. “Events that celebrate and explore the importance of reading are crucial to increasing literacy rates and creating prepared adults.”

The event itself will be based on a series of “creative stations” set up in the reception hall of the west Pensacola church for reading books, writing their own book, and making maracas for a presentation by author Jeremie Samuel and illustrator Carter J. Gaston, who worked on “Do You Know Estevanico? Adventures of the World’s Greatest Explorer.”

If you have questions, call Habitat at (850) 434-5456.