How 6 Young Readers Are Chasing Their Dreams
With books, children around the world are discovering their dreams and gaining the confidence to chase them.
Every child has the right to write their own story. No matter how big they dream, it’s crucial to get children access to the resources they need to thrive. Books are important building blocks of this success – stories inspire creativity, share new ideas, and help young readers establish social-emotional intelligence.
This is increasingly important as 64% of 10-year-olds globally are unable to read and understand a simple story. We must get children reading now if we want our young generations to reach their potential.
Around the world, BookSmart has empowered young readers to dream big and reach for the stars so their best story can come true. Meet the future and the stories that have encouraged them to chase their own.
Meet Srishty
Srishty lives in Varanasi, India with her five brothers. After losing her father a year ago, her mother has been supporting the entire family. The 10-year-old is pursuing a dream inspired by her father – she wants to be a pilot. As she reads with her brothers, Srishty shares the stories from BookSmart with the whole family.
➤ Support children like Srishty
Meet Gianfranco
After struggling in school, Gianfranco from Ayacucho, Peru was introduced to a book on BookSmart called Gravity Falls. The sixth-grade student connected with the main character and began to do better in classes. Now, Gianfranco and his mother read stories together. With the support of his teacher and mother, he’s aiming for a new goal – to be a soccer player.
Meet Bhumika
Every day in Varanasi, India, Bhumika wakes up before everyone else and gets her day started. She loves to learn and studies mathematics. One of the six-year-old’s favorite activities is reading on BookSmart – every day, she finds a story and narrates the book to her mother. Bhumika wants to become a doctor.
➤ Support children like Bhumika
Meet Natasha
Natasha, a 5th grader from Mamprobi, Ghana, has found that books inspire her to chase her dreams. As she reads her favorite book, Ama’s Dream, with her father, she learns more about herself and others. The story’s magic has helped Natasha believe that some dreams come true. She wants to become an artist so she can continue painting nature.
Meet Abigail
Abigail lives in Ayacucho, Peru, where she loves to spend time at home with her mother reading new books. The sixth-grader has enjoyed reading Las Alpaquitas (Little Alpacas) from the CreceLee digital library which has taught her to be responsible when taking care of animals. As she’s constantly reading, Abigail has learned new words and how to express herself better. When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a scientist because she likes science and doing experiments.
Meet Alison
From Ayacucho, Peru, Alison is an 11-year-old student. While participating in the CreceLee program, she’s also working to read 25 books with her family as a part of a reading challenge. Her favorite book is El Frejol Filósofo (The Wise Bean), about a curious little bean who never gave up because he worked with his friends to achieve his goals. Alison usually reads with her mom, and loves that reading teaches her values and increases her curiosity. Her dream is to become an architect, because she really likes mathematics.
➤ Support children like Alison
Reading helps us dream big. When we’re inspired by new ideas, people, and places, we can change the world. Plus, when we read from an early age, we have better chances to succeed in school and life.
That’s why it’s important that we get children reading. It’s the foundation of all learning, and it starts at home. When caregivers read with their children, they give them the tools they need to succeed in life and reach their full potential. Our dreams shouldn’t be fairytales – every child’s story deserves to come true.
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