Uncategorized | Book Village

Reflecting on 5 Years of Book Village NPC

02/07/2025 by Lauren

Five years ago, Book Village NPC began with a bold and beautiful vision: to use technology to bring volunteer tutors from around the world into overcrowded South African classrooms so that every child might have individual reading tuition at school. What started as a small initiative grounded in hope and collaboration has grown into a vibrant village of young readers, passionate tutors and generous believers who contribute in so many ways.

From the first rather brave young learner to connect with a remote tutor on our app – seeing their face absolutely light up as they realised that there was a caring person speaking to them through their headsets, until today, we have witnessed thousands of children read through the programme. We’ve seen the joy of a child realising that they are learning to read, and the powerful ripple effect of literacy unlocking confidence, curiosity, and possibility.

Our journey has not been without challenges. We constantly battle poor internet connectivity at schools and economic constraints, and we have had to continuously develop to keep abreast of changes in the Education Department’s reading strategy, while being mindful of taking time out of the school day. But we have done so with a commitment to our core values of innovation, community, heart, access and reach.

We are especially proud of the partnerships that have shaped us—schools who welcomed us, parents and communities who trusted us, volunteers who gave so generously of their time, and donors who believed in our mission. Together, we have not only built a reading programme but also created local employment, trained future educators, and developed a scalable model that blends technology with human connection.

As we celebrate this five-year milestone, we do so with immense gratitude and renewed purpose. The need for literacy in South Africa remains as urgent and important as it was 5 years ago, and so does our belief that learning to read is a human right.

~ Written by Sarah Bradfield, Co-founder and CEO of Book Village NPC

Why Digital Tools are Revolutionising Literacy

31/05/2025 by Lauren

The reading crisis in South Africa isn’t just about reading; it’s about access. Many schools in low-income communities are under-resourced, overcrowded, and overstretched. Class sizes often exceed 40, sometimes 60, learners per teacher and it’s not uncommon for children to complete the foundation phase of school without ever having received one-on-one support in learning to read.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) and foundational teachers shoulder an enormous responsibility. They are tasked with teaching literacy and numeracy to large, diverse groups of learners, often navigating multiple languages, varying learning levels and a complete lack of resources. At one of the schools where Book Village is implemented, there are classroom sizes of up to 93 children per teacher, making it simply impossible to give every child the attention they need. Unfortunately, situations like this have become the norm in disadvantaged areas. When access to education, support and literacy become a privilege, it is no wonder that millions of people in South Africa are illiterate. This is where digital tools, when implemented correctly, are revolutionary.

At Book Village, we believe technology can be part of the solution. Not by replacing the need for teachers, but by enhancing what’s possible in these under-resourced environments. With a single device, children can gain access to an entire digital library, a levelled reading programme and, most importantly, one-on-one attention with a dedicated tutor who listens, encourages, supports and celebrates their progress.

Here are just a few of the reasons why digital tools add huge value to early childhood development:

They personalise learning. Each child moves at their own pace, helping them to continuously feel successful, build confidence and stay motivated.
They make reading fun. Learning to read should be exciting! With colourful interfaces, stories children can actually relate to, and tutors who cheer them on. Digital tools help reframe reading as something to look forward to.
They generate meaningful insights. Teachers and programme coordinators can track a child’s learning progress, spot gaps in learning and give valuable insights into what’s working and what isn’t.

That being said, we recognise that technology alone will not guarantee success; it must be paired with human connection, and that’s exactly what Book Village does. We ensure that every child is matched with a trained tutor who leads with warmth, empathy and encouragement. The safe and supportive online community that we at Book Village have fostered makes a world of difference in each child’s learning journey.

Digital tools are certainly not going to solve every problem in South Africa’s education system, but they are already transforming what was previously thought possible. Technology enables reading support to be deeply personal, flexible and scalable, even in schools where resources are scarce.

At Book Village, we’re working towards a future where every child, be it for meaning or for enjoyment, reads. Not only because they should and because they want to, but, above all, because they can.

~ Written by Eleanor Payne

The Importance of Pictures in Picturebooks

27/05/2024 by Lauren

Last year while working with Book Village, I also had the opportunity to complete my postgraduate studies, with one of my papers, ‘‘Children’s literature in Education,’ looking specifically at the impact of picturebooks on young readers. This paper was interesting in so many ways, but I particularly enjoyed how much it linked with our work at Book Village.

Roche (2015) explains that Picturebooks “are immense sources of pleasure as well as a means of sparking off an interest in reading for children who are just beginning that process.” There are so many skills that can be taught through picturebooks. It is important to note that it is not just the text in picturebooks that can spark enjoyment and learning as the pictures are just as important as the text. As Michaels and Walsh (1990) state, “Pictures and picture books are an important part of the meaning making process. Reading pictures is just as complex, perhaps more complex, than reading print: it can also be just as rewarding as reading print.”

Pictures teach important skills

As the world around us becomes more visual and complicated, students need to learn how to take meaning from all forms of information. Bull and Anstey (2007) explain that “Knowledge of print text …is still necessary, but it is no longer sufficient in a highly visual age of increasing technological innovation.” They go on to explain that “picture books are a great place to commence the study of still images” as they are familiar and accessible.

The combination of words and pictures also support a range of skills including learning how to visualise what is happening in the story, developing imagination, helping students to decode new words, and explaining or helping them understand new vocabulary. The combination of pictures and words also help students to develop inference skills as they learn to combine clues from the text and the pictures with their own experiences to create meaning. Pictures can also help even the youngest of readers to understand the sequence of events allowing them to make sense of the story.

Picturebooks act as mirrors and windows

Daly (2021) states that “an important function of children’s books is to provide windows into other people’s worlds; but just as importantly, they should provide mirrors of a range of children’s realities.” Books that give voice to and illustrate a range of human experiences allow readers to develop empathy for others and understanding and compassion for themselves.

Tan (2002) explains that “the lessons we learn from studying pictures and stories are best applied to a similar study of life in general – people, places, objects, emotions, ideas and the relationships between them all.” With even the youngest of readers, pictures can help students recognise and understand emotions, help them to connect to characters and develop a sense of empathy and understanding for experiences that are not their own.

Pictures increase enjoyment

Regardless of how incredibly beneficial it is for students to learn how to gain meaning from pictures, the best part about pictures is that they add to the enjoyment of the reader. Michaels and Walsh (1990) state that “when the two symbolic systems [of picture and print] work together, the satisfaction, enjoyment and stimulation is more than doubled.” We see this in every interaction our students have with their tutors, in their grins, giggles and concentration through their reading sessions.

There are so many skills that our students are learning, practising and developing during their reading sessions. Through the support of our volunteers, our students are developing reading skills that will impact how they see themselves and the world around them for the rest of their lives.

Written by: Eva Roding (Book Village volunteer)

Photo by Waldemar on Unsplash

References

Bull, G. & Anstey, M. (2007). Exploring visual literacy through a range of texts. Practically Primary 12(3), 4-7.

Daly, N. (2021). Voices in the library: Curating New Zealand children’s literature. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship, 27(1), 33-48
https://doi- org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/10.1080/13614541.2021.1972758

Michaels, W. & Walsh, M. (1990) Up and Away: using picture books. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Roche, M. (2015). Developing children’s critical thinking through picturebooks: a guide for primary and early years students and teachers. Routledge.

Tan, S. (2002) Picture Books: Who are They For? Online, available at: http://www.shauntan.net/images/whypicbooks.pdf (accessed Jan 2014).

How to Build Connections in Reading Sessions

21/01/2024 by Sarah Bradfield

Gibbs (2006) states that “Teaching and Learning are about meaningful connections.” One of the most special parts of Book Village is that we get to see the impact on our students of having adults that are completely invested in their learning and success. Most of our students come from classrooms that are oversized and under-resourced. For many of our learners, their interactions in Book Village are their only chance for one-on-one learning. The change in our students ,from when they start on our programme to when they have been reading with us for a while, is immense. Our learners become enthusiastic, motivated and engaged in their own learning and that comes from feeling connected to people that believe in them.

Santrock (2009) explains the importance of providing young learners with “a supportive environment for them to develop literacy skills.” As part of our safety features, our tutors and students are connected randomly. While there is a chance you might get a student more than once, you will often be connected to a new student. We know that 20 minutes is not a long time to create a safe and trusting environment for our students to thrive and learn – and yet we see it happening every day!

We do know that this comes with challenges, so here are a few simple ideas to help you to connect with the student in your reading sessions.

Learn their name
Take a minute at the beginning of each session to introduce yourself, ask their name, and if there is a name they prefer to be called. Some students will have multiple names, in different languages. McGee and Fraser (2008) explain that “names can be sacred or have particular significance in terms of ancestry.” We can listen to how students pronounce their names, listening to intonation, emphasis and cadence. Learning their name and using it throughout the session can be a simple way to help students to feel seen and respected.

Show an interest
Students respond positively when they are interacting with someone who shows a “genuine regard for…their progress, their humanity and the essence of who they are.” (McGee and Fraser, 2008). We can demonstrate an interest through
Asking questions. While we discourage volunteers from asking (or answering) specific personal or locational questions for safety reasons, there are lots of questions that are appropriate and relevant to the books you are reading and can help students to share their ideas and opinions. Questions like, “what is your favourite…. Do you enjoy…. What is a time you felt or did…. “ Can allow students to feel confident to share, and feel like their thoughts matter.
Connecting to and building on what students share. You can do this by finding common ground or asking follow up questions for clarity or more information. Using phrases like ‘I agree with what you just said, because…” or “I also think…” can help students to feel like you are listening and that what they are saying is important.
Using humour. This is a great way to connect with students and help them feel engaged. It can also allow students to feel comfortable to share the things they find funny, interesting or meaningful.

Help them feel successful
Learning, especially learning to read, is hard work. It takes a lot of courage for our students to get on the app and read with a new person each session. A great way to help them feel successful is to show enthusiasm through your session together. This can be through specific praise for their effort, focus, skills or ideas shared, sounding out new words or remembering letter sounds. I also find that expressing my excitement to read with them at the beginning of a session, and my enjoyment of our time together at the end of the session are also easy ways to help them feel successful and noticed.

We are so grateful for our volunteers and the kind, compassionate interactions they have with our students. We see the difference you are making, and hope these suggestions are helpful in your sessions with the learners in Book Village.

References
Gibbs, C. (2006) To be a teacher: Journeys towards authenticity. Pearson.
McGee, C., & Fraser, D. (2008). The professional practice of teaching. Cengage Learning.
Santrock, J. (2009) Life-span development. McGraw Hill

By Eva Roding

My Year with Book Village

08/01/2024 by Sarah Bradfield

I have been reflecting on my time working with Book Village now that I am back in New Zealand and preparing to be a classroom teacher again. Being in South Africa and working with Book Village for most of 2023 has impacted me in so many ways. I am forever changed by the students, our tutors and the Book Village Team.

The students

I loved spending time with our learners – both at our school in Johannesburg and in Cape Town. They are resilient and brave, funny and delightful. They have had so many barriers and work so hard! Seeing the progress they have made, and the confidence they have developed, from the beginning of the year to now makes me emotional and just so proud. From reading with them on the app, to teaching them in person at the schools and running workshops and fun days for them, I loved the time I was able to spend with these beautiful children. They have such a huge portion of my heart and I think the only reason I was able to leave is because I know I will be able to continue to read with them online. I have countless funny interactions and sweet memories to take back with me.

The tutors

The people we have volunteering with Book Village are incredible! They, too, are resilient – dealing with our network and load shedding problems and showing up in the kindest, most supportive way for our learners. I have been able to meet some of you in person, some online and some over the headphones during reading sessions as we troubleshoot together. Thank you for being so invested and involved. Your humour and generosity is noticed, needed and so appreciated. I feel very lucky that I get to keep working as a tutor on the app even now that I am home in New Zealand.

The Book Village Team

Anyone who has met Lauren and Sarah knows how committed, passionate and compassionate they are. They love the students and work tirelessly to create the best outcomes for every individual that walks through the Book Village doorway. I have learned so much from working with them as we have trialled and tested new resources, teaching methods, ideas and solutions. We have laughed our way through the multitude of challenges that arise and I have been continually inspired by their seemingly endless tenacity and drive.

This past year has been so special for me. It was so hard to leave but Book Village will always be a big part of my heart. Whether that’s reading with the children on the app in the New Year, continuing to work with Lauren and Sarah in the background or my future visits to South Africa and our schools, I hope that I always get to be a part of Book Village.

~Eva Roding

Picture: Mpho, Lauren, Eva, Nini, Lerato, Sarah

Looking Back at Some Holiday Reads

09/01/2023 by Sarah Bradfield

It’s back to school this week and we are reminiscing on the holiday season and all the good reads. We believe that every good Christmas stocking or holiday treat should have had at least one book in it or a reasonably priced tablet to connect to the local digital library. With the holiday season coming to an end we thought we’d give you some ideas of what to read next. We asked around the house to see who’s reading what…

I’ll go first! I’m reading Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. It was recommended to me by several people a while ago, and so I approached it cautiously – often cult books are a bit disappointing – but not this, and I’m enjoying it so much I don’t want it to end. Every woman, feminist, cook, dog- lover, chemist, rower, and just everyone really, will love this book. Before this I read The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. The book is set in Cyprus and is partly narrated by the fig tree which is original and magical. The book deals with the war that occurred there in the 1970’s, the subsequent uprooting and re-settling of the characters in England and the digging up and proper burying of people killed in the war.

Two other family members are coincidentally both reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. So far they both seem to be enjoying it, but then they haven’t finished it yet… One of the girls just finished Verity by Colleen Hoover – and she’s been pestering me to read it because she really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. Another’s been working her way through The 5am Club by Robin Sharma and has become a complete disciple.

Other books on the go are Bruce Whitfield’s book, The Upside of Down, John Le Carre’s The Tailor of Panama, and another is reading The Communist Manifesto (with some good pictures to make it interesting).

We hope you’ve all had a good start to the year and have some good reads to recommend (pop them in the comments… sharing is caring)!

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Holiday Activities for Kids that Promote Literacy Learning

14/12/2022 by Sarah Bradfield

The holiday period can sometimes be a challenging and boring period depending on who you ask. For parents who are occupied with work, they might not have the time or are uncertain about how to keep their children entertained – besides sticking a TV in front of them or organising the odd playdate. On the other hand, children might not know what fun activities exist nor have the resources to keep themselves entertained. Thus, this blog post is going to offer some inspiration, and hopefully provide some useful ideas that are fun, yet still promote useful literacy skills.

Up first on the list of ideas is… baking! This is a great activity that calls for getting one’s hands messy in the kitchen with the result being a sweet treat that can leave one satisfied for the days to come! Literacy skills can be promoted in this activity through the reading and writing of ingredients. If more than one sweet treat is made, writing up a menu is another fun way to promote literacy.

Secondly, designing and writing a picture book is a fantastic way to get your child to express themselves creatively and chat about what interests them. Using colourful paper and different types of stationery, as well as buying stickers to add to the picture book is definitely going to add an exciting touch to the whole process!

Gardening is another activity that encourages research and the reading of labels in order to ensure that one’s plant is planted correctly and kept alive. It is a fun interactive activity that can be documented through the taking of photographs and even writing a weekly journal update.

Finding different objects around one’s home through a little treasure hunt and then using them to create a sensory bin, enables children to have fun guessing what the object they are holding is through their senses. This activity is also wonderful to get your kids to use their imagination and have a good laugh.

Lastly, attending a theatre production that is based on a book your child has read or enjoys, is a spectacular way to encourage conversation and the urge to re-read the book after watching the play. Prepare some questions on a separate piece of paper to see how much they grasped from the story.

Happy holidays everyone!

Heritage Day

24/09/2022 by Sarah Bradfield

Heritage Day is a call for celebration. South Africa is a culturally-rich country with 11 official languages and it consists of a diverse population of 59 million people. One way to introduce children to the importance of this day is to allow them to have a whole day in their school calendar dedicated to exploring the different facets of the topic of ‘culture’.

The day can begin by allowing learners to dress up in their traditional wear. This is a lovely way to spark conversation about different garments.

Afterwards, you could dive into a pre-made lesson plan. This can include presenting a slideshow on topics such as the ‘history of South Africa’ or even unpacking the 8 world heritage sites:

Robben Island (Western Cape) is best known as the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (KwaZulu-Natal) is home to the largest estuary in Africa as well as the southernmost coral reef in Africa.
Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng) includes the hominid fossil sites at Swartkrans, Sterkfontein and Kromdraai.
Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (KwaZulu-Natal) is where the most concentrated collection of rock paintings in Africa can be seen.
Mapungubwe Heritage Site (Limpopo). This was South Africa’s first kingdom which traded with China and India and is also known as the “place of the stone of wisdom”.
Cape Floral Kingdom (Western Cape) is 1 of 18 biodiversity hotspots globally. Some of the protected areas that you may already know are Table Mountain, Cederberg wilderness area and Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (Northern Cape) covers a vast area of mountainous desert in the north-west part of South Africa.
Vredefort Dome (Free State) is where the world’s largest meteorite impact crater is.

For lunch, you could encourage each child to bring a different food or drink that is quintessential to their culture and ask them to explain how it is made or ask them to give an interesting fact about it. This is another brilliant way to encourage casual conversation.

To add to the ambience, you could get the learners to colour in different flags, and later have a little pop quiz to test them on the different names of the countries.

Lastly, different dances, songs or interesting traditions specific to their culture can be shown either through physical demonstration or even video clips online.

Heritage Day is an important day for remembering one’s history and way of life that make us truly unique. It is a day where people should develop an understanding and willingness to learn about other people. And moreover, it is a good day to have a braai in true South African style!

4 Young Adult Books that We Chose by their Covers

26/08/2022 by Sarah Bradfield

It’s probably true that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover – but we couldn’t resist choosing these from the recent SORA Sweet Reads 2022 collection – based entirely on looks!

‘The Sky is Mine’ by Amy Beashel – well this book had to be read! It has more prize stickers on its bright yellow cover than my favourite bottle of wine does. I was gripped from the first page by this shocking, compelling page-turner that addresses rape culture in teens and domestic abuse in families. The writing is excellent, and despite the subject matter, is often humorous. Izzy, the main character, is just great and the book is a hopeful call for young teens to tell their stories to the world.

The only part of the book that I found disappointing was the unfortunately predictable bit where Izzy forms a romantic relationship with her rower friend and saviour – which almost nixes all the empowering, good bits of the book. Apart from this, the book is sure to be enjoyed by older teens.

‘The Obsession’ by Jesse Q Sutanto – This book has a very striking red cover with stick figures entwined by wool – and the caption: “Boy meets girl, Boy stalks girl, Girl gets revenge”, was enough to get me started. And the book is a great fast-paced YA thriller, set in the exclusive boarding school, Draycott Academy. The story is extreme and dark with dead bodies and a shocking twist at the end. Once I’d finished the book (which I did very quickly), I did think that it was a bit of a ridiculous plot – but it kept me reading right to the end.

Another book by the same author, ‘The New Girl‘ – with a cover that I loved too! Also set in Draycott Academy and with another over-the-top storyline. This time the ending was a slight letdown as it was a bit obvious. There is a lot of teen drama, bullying, cheating, a corrupt teacher – and at least one dead body in this YA mystery thriller. I thought the depiction of bullying at the school through an app, Draycott Dirt, was horrifying and realistic.

‘Minus Me’ by Ingelin Rossland – I chose this book because of the Norwegian author, thinking it might be a bit of teen Scandi Noir, or at least have descriptions of the beautiful Norwegian landscapes. But I was disappointed on both fronts. The book turned out to be a bit odd with religious stuff in it that wasn’t for me. The main character, bratty 13-year-old Linda, draws up a bucket list when she learns that she has a rare heart condition and might die soon. The book follows her, and her new weird friend, Zak, on their adventures as they tick off items on her list. Some young teen girls might identify with Linda and enjoy reading this.

Sora Sweet Reads is OverDrive’s annual reading programme running May 4 – August 17, 2022. Juvenile and young adult ebooks (as well as select audiobooks) are available to participating schools through the Sora reading app.

Youth Day

16/06/2022 by Sarah Bradfield

In the words of Nelson Mandela “Young people are capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom”. Youth Day is celebrated annually on the 16th of June as a testament to the power of the youth to advocate against oppression. On the 16th of June 1976, thousands of students protested in the streets of Soweto against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of education. Moreover, the protests were also about the Bantu Education system as a whole. The idea behind Bantu education was to create a population that was trained to perform manual labour and be involved in ‘menial work’. Students protested this too, opposing the overcrowded, underfunded and poor standards of education that students of colour were receiving from the Apartheid government. Tragically, clashes with police resulted in many protesters’ deaths, with statistics varying from 400 to over 1000 protesters (mainly children) dying. This was a devastating day in our country’s history but one that was also considered a turning point in the Anti-Apartheid regime. The actions of the Apartheid government in the June 16th protests were a contributing factor to the adoption of a more militant approach by Anti-Apartheid movements. The event also highlighted the atrocities of Apartheid to international communities, who would later introduce sanctions against the Apartheid Government. The ‘beginning of the end’ so to say.

This year marks 46 years since the Soweto uprising and whilst many strides have been taken to improve our educational system for young South Africans, there is still more to be done. According to Amnesty International, the modern-day South African educational system is characterised by “crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and relatively poor educational outcomes”. The article also argued that a poor educational system “perpetuates inequality” and fails many children “with the poor hardest hit”. It is undoubtable that access to a quality education not only has positive impacts for a child but also for all of society. Some devastating statics noted that “three-quarters of children aged nine cannot read for meaning”. This issue in South Africa also seems to varied amongst provinces with statistics showing that reading without comprehension is “as high as 91% in Limpopo and 85% in the Eastern Cape. And of 100 learners that start school, 50-60 will make it to matric, 40-50 will pass matric, and only 14 will go to university”(Amnesty International, 2020).

At Book Village, we will not allow these statistics to persist and part of our mission is to help end the literacy crisis in South Africa. Our hope is that our digital app and library will allow for reading to become more accessible to all young South Africans and that this can help directly target some of the gaps in our educational sector.

This Youth Day, we continue to be inspired by the determination of the youth of 1976 in their quest to advocate for equal education for all. This tragic day is a reminder of where we have come from and our responsibility as a country to continue to advocate for the rights of children, particularly their educational rights.