Children’s books shape the world view we grow up with. It is important for children to be able to recognize themselves in stories, illustrations and narratives and, at the same time, to learn about the different realities of life around them. Does children’s literature in Germany, Finland and other (Northern) European countries today reflect the increasingly diverse societies in which we live, or does it make a growing proportion of the young population invisible?
With the aim of a more diverse children's literature, the publication brings together stories and illustrations from different BIPOC perspectives. It shows works from authors and illustrators who took part in workshops organised by DRIN in autumn 2022. The publication is edited by illustrator Warda Ahmed from Finland, with two Germans, illustrator Jasmina El Bouamraoui (El Boum) and writer Chantal-Fleur Sandjon: the expert consultants on the DRIN project.
In Our Own Words: BIPOC Perspectives in Children's Literature (2021)
Copyright: Goethe-Institut Finnland/ EL BOUM
The publication brings together visions of more diverse storytelling and children’s literature from different BIPOC perspectives. The publication gives a voice to people involved at all stages of a book’s life: from training to writing and illustration, from publishing to use in libraries and schools. The publication is edited by illustrator Warda Ahmed from Finland, with two Germans, illustrator Jasmina El Bouamraoui (El Boum) and writer Chantal-Fleur Sandjon: the expert consultants on the DRIN project.
Reading | 5.11.2021 | Literaturhaus Berlin Ayşe Bosse "Pembo – Halb und halb macht doppelt glücklich!"
Reading for school classes. Ayşe Bosse reads from her moving and funny children's book "Pembo – Halb und halb macht doppelt glücklich!". In the story Pembo has to leave its dear home village in Turkey and move to Germany, "the most terrible country in the world". But in the end everything is not as bad as Pembo thinks in the beginning...
On this page we collect materials from events of the project. The materials are freely accessible. If you have questions or comments, we gladly establish contacts to the persons who have created the materials.
The topic of the teaching material is diversity. The tasks make it fun to get to know the theme with children and young people.
The tasks are divided according to working methods, so you can try drawing, poetry, acting, writing, reflection, or creativity. Tasks can be used in primary school, middle school and second grade.
At the beginning there is background information for the teacher and literature tips related to the theme. At the end, you will get information about the DRIN project, which is behind the tasks.
Two five-day workshops for children's book illustrators and authors, facilitated by Baba Aminu Abdulkareem and Ute Krause, took place in Nigeria in March 2019 and March 2020. The workshops' aim was: to develop affordable children's books for the Nigerian market, which tell imaginative, yet realistic, stories that reflect the country's social and cultural environment.
