Co-operation with reading promotion organisation to stimulate children’s apetite for reading

This spring the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) begins a co-operation with reading promotion organisation Berättarministeriet (approx. ministry of storytelling, our transl.) to promote interest in children's and young adult literature and to stimulate children’s desire to express their dreams, ideas, thoughts and opinions through writing.

Berättarministeriet is a non-profit organisation dedicated to inspire children, aged 8-18, from areas of high unemployment to conquer the written word. Their work is based on the understanding that strong writing skills are fundamental for participation in a democratic and pluralistic society.

– ALMA and Berättarministeriet have many common values and goals, such as increasing literacy among children in order to enhance the socio-economic mobility. It feels completely natural to co-operate, says coordinator Dilsa Demirbag-Sten.

This spring, 10- and 11-year-olds at two schools in Södertälje and Järva will be working with Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and this year's laureate Barbro Lindgren. The work of the students will be presented in late May.

– It's amazing to see how children curiously and boldly tackle this year's laureate, the author Barbro Lindgren, and how they consider the citation of the jury. What do children think "perfect pitch ", "presents" and "moments of bright joy" mean? That will be interesting to learn, continues Dilsa Demirbag-Sten.

– The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is itself a reading promotion project, says ALMA Director Helen Sigeland. Any initiative that aims to make the laureates and their works visible are welcomed, and most especially when the child’s own creativity is encouraged. It will be most interesting to see the results of the children’s work with the first Swedish laureate!