Familiar Faces: Lynda Grimard-Watt and her one-of-a-kind Children’s French Book Corner in East Toronto

By ERIN HORROCKS-POPE

Familiar Faces is a column inspired by our beloved local pizza maker, Siya Elahy of Pizzaville. Walking past his shop earlier this year, I was reminded of the many local figures who make our neighbourhood exceptional.

Having lived in East Toronto for three decades (my whole life), I recognize many faces, but certainly not all. So, I was thrilled when someone reached out to me to nominate Lynda Grimard-Watt, a local business owner and a familiar face to many, as a feature in this column.

Although I don’t know Lynda personally, I wanted to understand her impact on the community through the unique bookstore she runs – the only one of its kind in Toronto.

I spoke with Andrea Kwok, a local parent and educator who has been a regular customer at the Children’s French Book Corner for several years.

Her children are enrolled in French immersion programs, and she finds significant support from Grimard-Watt in selecting appropriate books for their French literacy development. Kwok also purchases books for the school where she works.

“She really knows her stuff,” Kwok told me during our chat. Grimard-Watt’s expertise extends to knowing the specific literacy expectations for French in Ontario and helping parents choose the right books for their children’s needs.

Kwok highlighted Grimard-Watt’s ability to match books to a child’s level, even offering discounts for schools, which is particularly appreciated given the cost of French books.

During my conversation with Kwok, one of her children also expressed his sincere gratitude for Grimard-Watt’s support in developing their French literacy skills. He loudly told me over the phone from somewhere in his mom’s office that Children’s French Book Corner “is so so so awesome.”

I recently met with Grimard-Watt at the Children’s French Book Corner on Danforth Avenue, just a few blocks east of Woodbine Avenue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she moved the store from its original location on Main Street south of Gerrard Street East.

Grimard-Watt, a francophone from Quebec’s South-Eastern Township, moved to Toronto after high school as part of a nanny exchange program aimed at supporting bilingual development in children.

She fell in love with the city and eventually married an anglophone, raising their children to be fluent in English and French. Grimard-Watt’s passion for literacy and child enrichment led her to spend significant time on parent committees to enhance school French language development.

“When my kids were young, I realized the need for better ways to connect learning French at school to home,” said Grimard-Watt.

She has become a familiar and essential figure for many families, drawing people from across the Greater Toronto Area to benefit from her consultations and services. Grimard-Watt helps assess children’s French reading levels and recommends books that resonate with their interests.

Her services were particularly popular during the pandemic when children struggled with online learning.

“Kids are still recovering the literacy skills that they couldn’t learn properly from computer classes,” she said. That was a sentiment I understand well as a former educator and stepmother to a child who started kindergarten during lockdowns.

Grimard-Watt believes in a gentle approach to literacy development. “Every child has their own level, and if you put too much pressure, it will just lead them to feel stressed and discouraged,” she said, noting that children often fall further behind when pressured to “catch up.”

Speaking with Grimard-Watt made it clear why customers like Kwok continue to support her store. Beyond offering a remarkable selection of French books and resources, Grimard-Watt is an absolute joy to chat with.

She left the corporate world to follow her passion for supporting children.

“It’s what guides me,” she said, smiling. “It’s our job as humans to make a positive difference in the lives of others, and that’s my mission here: to help kids learn French, which is a lifelong tool, in a fun and encouraging way.”

I’m glad to have added Lynda Grimard-Watt to my collection of Familiar Faces and look forward to returning with my children to diversify our bookshelves at home.

You can visit Children’s French Book Corner in person at 2205 Danforth Ave. or online at https://www.childrensfrenchbookcorner.com/

— Familiar Faces is an occasional column written by Erin Horrocks-Pope, a lifelong east ender and frequent Beach Metro Community News contributor. If you know a Familiar Face you’d like to see featured in this column, you can reach Erin at erin@beachmetro.com