Chris Joseph reads during Read-In Week

Edmonton Oilers alumni Chris Joseph and Edmonton Fire Rescue Services kicked off Read-In Week at Richard Secord School on Monday.

The former hockey player turned firefighter read “Great Too,” a book about a young Wayne Gretzky working on his skills with his coach.

“(I) try to read every now and then, but I don’t do it as often as I should,” Joseph told reporters after the story, joking, “Can you tell?”

He said he prefers listening to audiobooks and podcasts to picking up a book, but reading to the Richard Secord students on Monday was a great experience.

“It’s important because I think the kids like to hear a different voice sometimes from the mom and dad, or the teacher, (and) see that someone else likes to read too,” Joseph said.

“It’s good for this age group.”

Being a fan of both hockey and reading, Grade 3 student Gio Schaaban told CTV News Edmonton he was “excited” to meet Joseph.

The class then toured an EFRS fire truck.

Throughout the rest of the week, the school will host a series of themed reading days, as well as a March Madness-inspired program called Battle of the Books.

It is the 35th reading week.

“The reading skills they develop here will serve them well into the future,” says director Marion Ramsey. “Things like critical thinking skills, developing their vocabulary, even learning about different characters in different places and different experiences. (It) builds better social and global understanding.”

With files from Evan Klippenstein of CTV News Edmonton