On Tuesday the 22nd of September the children visited the library at The Nordic School. This time the younger children in Kidogo got to know Bø and Bæ. These two are from a series of swedish books that are good reads for children in the age 1,5-5 years old. The book I read for the children this time, was Bø og Bæ gjer reint (Bø and Bæ cleans the house) written by Olof and Lena Landström.

The older children in Kubwa got to meet the poor bear who only wants to be good at throwing paper planes. But to do so, he cuts down trees. And the animals who live in these trees get angry. The book is called Papirflybjørnen (The Great Paper Caper) and is written by Oliver Jeffers, who has also written Lost and Found (which is also made into a beautiful little movie – see the trailer at the bottom here).

Before I read the book I threw some paper planes up in the air and asked the children if they knew about paper planes. It was a nice way to get their attention and to draw them into the book and the reading.

Here you can see a trailer for the movie based one of the books Oliver Jeffers has written

On Tuesday the 8th of september, the children at Nordic School visited the library. This is weekly activity, and the children love it. They bring their own bookbags containing the books they borrowed last Tuesday.

I use to welcome them at the door, and they run into the libraryroom. Here they sit on each of their pillows. The first children are the youngest, from the Kubwa branch. This morning I read Vrimleboka Sommer by Rotraut Susanne Berner. This is a book with no text, only drawings. I read the book twice, each time focusing on a new story which the pictures show. First I focused on a dog chasing a mouse. Then, the second time, I focused on a balloon that was drifting through the town.

The Kidogo branch comes after Kubwa. These are the older children, and they are split into two groups. I read Jakob og Neikob by Kari Stai to them. They all loved the book, which is about Jakob who only can say yes, and Neikob who only says no. It is a modern classic showing the children how important it is to both be a person who can say yes and participate and be a person who can say no and set teir own boundries. And of course, it is wonderful story.

Afterwards the children, both in Kidogo and Kubwa, get to borrow one book each. I try to help them find books, as do the grown ups. Often the children find their own favourites. I am hoping to better help the children find books they would want to read. When they borrow the books, I give them each a stamp. Or several. It is very popular!

This week I was the reader at the library. But in the coming weeks Sarah, Irene, Louise and Charlotte will take turn in reading for the children. We are all volunteers and parents of children at The Nordic School.

This is outside in the playground of The Nordic School, seen from The Nordic House where the library is. The children walk from their branches to the library every Tuesday at 09:30.

This is The Nordic House. The library is in a room in this house. It is about 20 metres to walk from the branches for the children.

This is Karen-Emilie Asla, the acting headmaster at The Nordic School. She comes from Norway, lives in Dar es Salaam, speaks norwegian, english and swahili, and owns her own bajaj with zebra-stripes!

This is the books in the library. All the books are donated by parents of the children who have been in The Nordic School.

I always try to put as many books as possible with the front out towards the children. Then the children can see the books and the books will be far more interesting and exciting to pick down. Books are made to be read, not to sit still in a bookshelf!