We park out front, open the doors, and your office stops being an office for an hour.
Zou Zou Media House brings read-alouds, live drumming, dance, writing and arts activities directly to your workplace, from a fully mobile bookmobile that needs nothing from you but a parking spot. Winner of the 2025 Diamond Award for Best Summer Event at the Mississauga People's Choice Awards, and booked by employers across the Greater Toronto Area for family days, wellness weeks, client appreciation and cultural celebrations.
WHY COMPANIES BOOK US
Most workplace events ask your team to perform. This one asks them to show up.
There is a version of employee appreciation that everyone has already sat through. A room booked, a caterer, an icebreaker nobody wanted. People check their phones under the table.
A bookmobile pulling up to the building is a different kind of event. People come outside because they are curious. They stay because something is actually happening. And the conversations that start in that hour tend to keep going afterward.
What makes it work
We come to you. The bookmobile is fully self contained. We need a place to park and room for people to move around. There is nothing for your team to set up, source or clean up.
Nothing is mandatory. People drift in and out. That is the design. Voluntary attendance removes the resentment that kills most team-building activities.
It is culturally grounded, not culturally themed. Our programming celebrates African, Caribbean and Canadian storytelling traditions because that is the work we do all year, not because a heritage month is on the calendar.
It is run by working artists. A published author, a poet laureate, trained facilitators and professional musicians. Not a team-building vendor with a slide deck.
It leaves something behind. Signed books, a piece of writing, a photograph people actually want. Employees take something home.
CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVATIONS
Build the day from these.
Every booking is assembled from the activations below. Choose one, or combine several across a half day or full day. Sessions run about 45 to 60 minutes each and can run back to back for larger headcounts.
Activation
Read-Aloud Experience
What happens
A live read-aloud from award winning Canadian children's books, followed by a short guided conversation. Calm, funny, and disarming.
Best For
Lunch hours, wellness weeks, post-meeting decompression
Activation
Creative Writing Session
What happens
Guided journalling, poetry prompts or storytelling, facilitated by a published author. No writing experience assumed and nothing is read aloud unless the person offers.
Best For
Learning and development, culture and connection work
Activation
African Djembe Drumming
What happens
Live hand drumming with instruments provided. Everyone plays. It is loud, it is fun, and it reliably breaks the ice faster than anything else on this list.
Best For
Family days, large groups, energy after lunch
Activation
Afro-Caribbean Dance
What happens
An inclusive, endorphin-raising movement session. Comfortable clothing recommended.
Best For
Family days, summer events, celebrations
Activation
On-the-Go Yoga and Stretching
What happens
Gentle outdoor yoga or light guided stretching set to calm music, to counteract desk fatigue.
Best For
Wellness weeks, benefits and mental health programming
Activation
Arts and Crafts
What happens
Hands-on making with all materials supplied. Crown decorating for younger children, and design or comic strip work for older ones.
Best For
Family days, bring your kids to work day
Activation
Author Read-Aloud and Signing
What happens
Valene Campbell reads from The Amazing Zoe series and signs copies for attendees.
Best For
Family events, heritage months, client appreciation
Books
Signed copies can be added to any quote. A discounted rate applies on orders of 50 copies or more. Many clients build the book cost into the event and send every attendee home with one.
FORMATS
Three ways to book it.
Format
Power Hour
What it includes
One activation, up to 60 minutes, one facilitator. Runs at lunch or late afternoon.
Typically booked for
Wellness weeks, monthly culture programming, a first booking to test the fit
Activation
Half Day
What happens
Two or three activations run in sequence or in parallel stations, with the bookmobile open throughout for browsing and book sales.
Best For
Employee appreciation days, client appreciation, heritage month events
Activation
Full Day Family Event
What happens
Multiple activations across age-grouped sessions, arts and crafts, author signing, and the bookmobile open all day.
Best For
Bring your kids to work day, summer family days, community open houses
Multi session bookings are discounted. Organizations running quarterly or monthly programming are quoted as a season rather than as individual events.
SIGNATURE PACKAGE
Bring Your Kids to Work Day
Our most requested full day package, built around two age-grouped sessions so the four year olds and the twelve year olds each get something pitched at them.
Session one, ages 4 to 8
Author read-aloud with Valene Campbell, author of The Amazing Zoe series
African djembe drumming session, instruments provided
Afro-Caribbean inspired dance activation, so send them in comfortable clothes
Crown decorating craft with all materials supplied
A signed copy of the book for every child, with a signing line at the end
Session two, ages 9 to 12
A performance and workshop with award winning poet laureate Testament Peace, also known as Matthew-Ray Jones, combining music, spoken word and positive messaging
A poetry slam segment where the children write and perform their own short pieces
Drumming and dance activation alongside the younger group
A signed book and a personalized author signing
What parents should know
Comfortable clothing for both sessions. All craft and instrument materials are supplied. Children stay with their own age group for the workshop portions and come together for drumming and dance.
LOGISTICS
What we need from you.
Requirement
Weather plan
Detail
For outdoor bookings we ask for an indoor alternative space to be identified in advance. We will confirm the call with you the day before.
Requirement
Power
Detail
Not required. The bookmobile is self contained
Requirement
Access
Detail
Confirm any security, loading dock or building access requirements at booking so we can arrive and set up without delay.
Requirement
Lead time
Detail
Four to six weeks is comfortable. Peak season from May to September books earlier. Ask us about short notice dates, we can sometimes accommodate them.
Requirement
Parking
Detail
One clear space roughly the size of a delivery van, with level ground and unobstructed rear access so the doors can open fully.
Requirement
Space to move
Detail
An open area beside the vehicle for seating or movement. A parking lot, courtyard, lawn or loading area all work.
HOW TO BOOK
Four steps, and most of the work is ours.
-
Send us the basics
Company name and contact, your preferred date and time, approximate headcount, whether children are attending, and which activations caught your eye.
-
We send the rate sheet and confirm the date
Within two business days, with two or three suggested programmes at different price points so you can see the range before deciding.
-
We plan the run of day together
A short call to lock timing, session sizes and any customization. You approve the plan in writing before we invoice the deposit.
-
We arrive and run it
We arrive ahead of schedule, set up, run the day and clear the site. You get photographs afterward for your internal communications.
HST applies to all pricing. A deposit confirms the date. Balance is due on completion.
Frequently asked questions
-
No. Most of our corporate bookings are adults only. The read-aloud, writing, drumming, dance and stretching sessions are all designed for adult teams.
-
In our experience yes, because it is visible and voluntary and there is no sign-up sheet. We recommend announcing it as an open hour rather than a scheduled activity
-
Yes. Signage, co-branded materials and book stickers can be arranged. Tell us at booking so we can build production time into the schedule.
-
We identify an indoor alternative with you at booking and make the call together the day before. Weather is the most common reason for a reschedule and we do not charge for it.
-
Yes. Partnership pricing is available for non-profits, hospice organizations and charitable foundations. Tell us your budget and we will tell you honestly what fits.