Happy International Children’s book day! At Thanda we love books; we incorporate them in almost every part of our programming. As such, one of the crown jewels of our Community Centre is the library – outfitted with books varying in levels, genres, and languages. In 2018, we broke a record: over 10,000 books were checked out by our community.

According to a study completed by Progress in International Reading Literacy, over half of South African homes have fewer than 10 books on hand and the number of libraries serving the Umzumbe municipality are limited. According to Stats SA, the closest libraries to the Thanda Community Centre are a 38 and 45 minute travel by car, but fewer than 12% of Umzumbe residents have access to a vehicle, making the trip infeasible. Our library is centrally located and available to everyone in our community 365 days of the year and, for children who are unable to get to the library, our Mobile Librarians travel to all of the schools where we host After-school Programmes to deliver and return books from our collection.

But, access to books alone does not make an enthusiastic reader. Most of us who have spent time with children and youth know that you can place a book in front of a child, but without arming them with the skills to comprehend and relate to the story, you may as well hand them a rock; it is heavy, boring, and inspires little imagination. The time and effort it takes to turn that rock into an adventure can seem an insurmountable challenge. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study found that in South Africa, by the end of Grade 4, 78% of the learners cannot read for meaning. This literacy deficit is compounded if the learner lives in a rural area and if the learner’s first language is something other than Afrikaans or English.

All is not lost though– learners who were motivated to read by their community and empowered with the skills to be confident readers had higher literacy rates (PIRLS 2016). Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme sets children up for early literacy success, with 56% of Thanda ECD graduates literate by Grade 1, compared to 9% outside of the programme. Our story-themed curriculum focuses on building Game-changing skills like confidence, empowering guardian literacy and engagement, and providing personalised facilitator attention to promote literacy in both isiZulu and English. To build an engaged reading community, we recently started a book club called the Eager Beavers with 81 active readers. Altogether, learners not only have access to high quality books though our library’s programmes, they also have access to passionate mentors– our After-school Facilitators – who are happy to dive into the story and assist in comprehension, leading to children and youth that can enjoy reading at high levels.

In honour of International Children’s Book Day and our community’s passion for reading, let’s explore the 3 most sought after books in the Thanda’s Library.

1. Junie B. Jones – Barbara Park 

Junie B. Jones is 28 book series styled after the diary of a lively young protagonist. Her daily misadventures and the innovative way she approaches challenges are entertaining learning opportunities for our Grade 5 through 7 youth who love Junie’s bold personality. “They hugged me very happy. And they threw confetti on my head. Only not May. May threw a small potato. That was uncalled for, I believe.”

2. A Collection of Dinosaurs Before Dark and Polar Bears Past Bed Time – Mary Pope Osborne

From the well-loved Magic Tree House Series, the “Collection of Dinosaurs Before Dark and Polar Bears Past Bedtime” is the favourite of Grades 5 and 6. Following young Jack and Annie on their adventures in the tree house excites the imagination and introduces readers to new worlds. Will the children make it home? Or will they become dinosaur food?

3. Walking Through the Jungle – Julie Lacome 

Popular with our Grade 2 and 3 children, Walking Through the Jungle is a colorful book filled with sing-song rhymes and fun learning prompts. “Walking through the jungle, What do you see? Do you hear a noise? What could it be? Sssssssss.”

Are you a literary lover? A champion for children? Thanda is always seeking to expand our library with new and exciting books. If you are interested in donating or partnering, please email info@thanda.org for more information.

Our Book Wishlist: The First Slodge – Jeanne Willis | The King Cat – Marta Alles | The Skunk; The Triangle; The Square; The Circle – Mac Barnett | The Goat in the Rug – Charles L. Blood | When Sophie Gets Really Angry – Molly Bang | Blue Chameleon – Emily Gravett