Kids stuck at home fight boredom with free books for World Book Day

The Little Stars Library will deliver books to children stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launched on Wednesday to coincide with World Book Day, the Little Stars Library is an initiative which piggybacks on the Food Aid Project, to deliver reading books and a dose of cheer to families’ homes together with the emergency food packs.

The initiative is a partnership between the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society and the National Literacy Agency to help children battle boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foundation chair Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said that literature had always been close to her heart, and through the initiative, she hoped to  “kindle” a love for reading among children who did not have access to books.

“Words are the building blocks of life and leisurely reading during these difficult times of physical distancing may also provide a space for children to discover companionship in the wonderful world of books and reading,” Coleiro Preca said.

Born from the Secret Garden sessions coordinated by the Children’s Hub, the Little Stars Library is being revived to support children and help develop their creative and communicative side – during a time when visits to school and local libraries are no longer an option.

National Literacy Agency CEO David Muscat said the agency would be providing age-appropriate books, in Maltese and English, for children and adolescents aged five to 18.

Muscat said it also created a specially designed leaflet where children may keep a record of the books they have read and to write a brief passage inspired by a book. These leaflets will then be collected and winners selected from the submissions.

“During this unprecedented time, it is imperative that children have access to reading books and continue reading at home. Through this initiative, we will be offering an equal opportunity to all children, especially those from disadvantaged families, to keep reading,” Muscat said.  

Requests for these books can be done by filling out an online form that may be accessed on the Facebook pages of the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society and the National Literacy Agency. 

Further information can also be obtained by email: [email protected] or telephone 2598 2992.