Small picture books have brought great changes

In the eyes of his classmates, he was a trouble maker. He once scared his classmate by putting a little snake into his classmate’s drawer. In the eyes of his teachers, he was a troublesome student as he didn’t listen carefully in the class and disturbed other students. In the eyes of his mother, he was a naughty child. He usually wandered aimlessly about the village and had uncertain whereabouts. When mentioned about him, that was what eleven-year-old Xianjing like in others’ mind.

Xianjing lives with his parents and older brother at a small village in Debao County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. His father often goes out for work, while his mother stays at home, doing farming and taking care of the two children. Lately, his house just moved from the hillside to the foot of the hill. Before the removal, Xianjing used to walk on a rugged mountainous road to his school.

Xianjing used to walk on a rugged mountainous road to his school. Now his house moves from the

hillside to the foot of the hill, so he goes to school more convenient.

In 2017, World Vision launched activity at Xianjing’s school and knew his issue. Then World Vision staff got an idea to launch buddy reading activity to develop his reading interest and nurture his reading habit so that he could swim in the sea of books and have funs in reading.

Knowing that Xianjing liked to play at the woodland and the farmland, and based on his reading ability, World Vision staff selected picture books of science for helping him understand more about the nature world and cultivate his reading interest. With books of The Diary of Mountain Birds, Bugs Are Insects, Travel On Maps, The Warmest Home In The World and The House With A Hundred Floors, World Vision staff went to Xianjing’s school and conduct buddy reading with him.

World Vision staff read picture books with Xianjing. He was attracted by the books immediately.

At the beginning, he held the books in his hands with a shy smile. When he opened the book of The Warmest Home In The World, he was attracted by the colorful pictures, and gradually he’d like to share more. He pointed one picture and said, “I’ve met this insect before. With long nose and green wings, now I know it is called weevil.” He continued, “Do the bees build their houses in this way? How amazing!” “The books are very nice. I like them very much. I’ll keep them carefully.”

When the second activity was launched, Xianjing felt excited once he saw World Vision staff. He took out the books from the cardboard box carefully and said, “I’ve finished the reading. I like The House With A Hundred Floors most. I’ve learnt from the book how deep the earth is! There are different animals at different surface layers.” He also shared books with his classmates, and the books he shared were usually the most popular. Now his mother is no longer worried about him. She said, “Since the buddy reading activity was launched, he often sits alone and reads on the threshold. He looks quite seriously.” The books have brought a new world to Xianjing. Now he doesn’t wander anywhere any more, and his mother won’t worry about his safety.

Xianjing read books with his little friends on the threshold of his house.

The small picture books have brought great changes on Xianjing. World Vision will continue to launch buddy reading activity and help more community children nurture their reading interest and habit, hoping that more and more children can enjoy the reading in a sound environment with sunshine, rice fragrance and frogs’ voice. (Written by LU Zhenyan)