Wednesday was World Read Aloud Day and it couldn’t have had more perfect timing. The first week of each month I host a reading program in my school’s library that every student – all 1,368 of them! – participates in. This month’s theme was nonfiction and it shouldn’t surprise me that the students enjoyed it more than the previous fairytale lesson.
The preferred read alouds of the students: Flight by Robert Burleigh and Snow Is Falling by Franklyn M. Branley. Who knew they’d love snow and planes so much, seeing as most of these students will never experience either. But that’s what makes books so important in the first place – opening up worlds you’d never be able to experience otherwise.
And I can’t lie, I loved reading Flight to them…thank you Charles Lindbergh for being born in Minnesota : ) It was like reading a little piece of home. If I’m being honest, reading about snow made me feel right at home as well.
This reading program is seriously my favourite project in Ethiopia and I just wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you to those of you who’ve been generous enough to donate to the program.
With only two more reading weeks left (April and May), the time for additional donations is winding down. Anything sent after the end of March might not make it in time, so if you’re still interested in helping the students at Adare Primary School, this might possibly be your last opportunity! There are still a few books left on their wish list (The Power of Reading) and I know they’d love any additional non-fiction or poetry books you loved as a child as well. And thanks to Better World Books and other sites like Alibiris, shipping to Ethiopia is free!
So if you’re a lover of literature who wants to pass on that passion to others, this is a great way to get involved! You can send books directly to me at:
Ashley Bostrom
P.O. Box 1129
Hawassa, Ethiopia
And make sure to email me (ashley.tangerine@gmail.com) the book titles and your mailing address so I can update the list of purchased books and send you a personal thank you from Ethiopia! Cheers!
Happy reading!
Abroad With Ashley 
Ahhhh I’m so sad I didn’t see this until now!!! Can I still send books?
Anne, you caught me just in time! If you wanted to send books in the next few days, there’s still time. Just let me know what you’re sending so I can keep an eye out for them : ) Thanks!