The morning sun in Phnom Penh is already baking motorbike seats, and roadside tea stalls are just setting out their tables. Lately, three hundred bundles of bilingual children's picture books have been making their way in packages to public primary schools across the country. Written by Anna Sophie Abels, the books feature bright covers and bilingual pages when you flip them open.
Local media report that the main idea behind bringing these books into schools is to help young children learn to express their thoughts, feel that their voices matter, and grow up ready to contribute and take part in their communities down the line.
In local primary schools, having a few decent extracurricular picture books isn't easy to come by. Neighborhood families send their kids to public school mainly just so they can learn to read and write. While three hundred books isn't a massive wave, finding their way into classrooms brings a breath of fresh air to the kids' otherwise dry routines.
