Book Buzz

The Book Buzz project aims to raise literacy levels of young children living in remote communities by recognising the need for early experience and contact with books.

You can make a genuine contribution to the life a child in a remote Indigenous community by sending a book pack which contains 12 wonderful books.

Each Book Buzz pack costs $140AUD.

How the Book Buzz project works

Book Buzz provides babies, toddlers and preschool children with access to a wonderful set of 12 early childhood books. These books are selected by an Indigenous literacy specialist in consultation with childrens’ book specialists from within the Book Industry. The program was launched in 2009 in Manyallaluk (east of the Katherine Region) and in is now being trialled in 4 communities including Wilcannia (North West NSW), Warburton (WA) and Yakanarra (WA).

A second pack of Book Buzz books was assembled in 2011, to provide variety and additional resources for the four communities.

The books in Book Buzz 1 are

  • An Australian 123 of Animalsby Bronwyn Bancroft
  • Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
  • Aussie Twos Like To by Magabala Books
  • Australian Toddlers Can by Magabala Books
  • An Australian ABC of Animals by Bronwyn Bancroft
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • These Are My Hands by Judy Horacek
  • Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox
  • I Went Walking by Sue Williams
  • Frog by Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells
  • That’s Not My Truck by Rachel Wells

The books in Book Buzz 2 are

  • See Me Move Sascha Hutchinson & Heidi Linehan
  • What’s That Noise by Sally Rippin
  • Who Sank the Boat by Pamela Allen
  • Where’s Spot by Eric Hill
  • An Australian ABC of Animals by Bronwyn Bancroft
  • Hide and Seek 123 by Thomas & Jodi Hamlyn-Harris
  • Ten Little Fingers and Toes by Annemarie Florian & Heather Hunt
  • Roadworks by Sally Sutton
  • That’s Not My Pony by Rachel Wells
  • One, Two, Cockatoo by Sarah Garson
  • Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox

ILF has worked with Elders from Warburton to translate four of these books, One, Two Cockatoo; Hattie and the Fox; Where’s Spot; and Who Sank the Boat? into local language.

Read Andy Griffiths report on a field trip to Warburton at the end of 2010 and progress of Book Buzz in that community.

Step 1: Book packs are gifted to babies and preschoolers at a special event (eg an afternoon or morning tea, or a barbecue), decided in consultation with communities. In some communities, such as Warburton, selected titles have been translated into local language. A local Indigenous ambassador is appointed to explain the project at the event and to work and provide support within the community (for example, at mothers’ groups and childcare centres). The event provides an opportunity to showcase reading skills of older children as well as the celebrating the joy of reading.

Step 2: Multiple copies of the set of books are delivered into schools. Ideally, school students and interested community members and parents (Book Buddies) are taught how to read the books, pointing to the images etc, enabling them to engage preschoolers and babies in written storytelling. Hopefully this will eventually produce a flow-on effect of older siblings reading to younger ones.

Step 3: A second set of Book Buzz kits are selected and gifted to the community and local schools. Further support to develop a culture of literacy within community is implemented. For example, in Manyallaluk, 'RIDIMBAT LANGA OLA BIGINNINI, READING WITH CHILDREN', a book developed in local language for elders within community, is published and launched.

Step 4: Strengthen local ambassador support and evaluation.

Step 5: If initial trials go well and we manage to get the support of elders as ambassadors, we will seek to roll the program out in other remote communities.

See Me Move Whats That Noise Who Sank the Boat? Where’s Spot? An Australian ABC of Animals Hide and Seek 123 Books for Babies Yellow is My Favourite Colour< Happy and Sad One, Two, Cockatoo Hattie and the Fox

Why is early literacy so important?

The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students emerges early and in remote and isolated communities, this gap is even wider (find out why here.) Non-Indigenous students far out-perform Indigenous students in benchmark tests for reading, writing and numeracy in Year 3 and Year 5. By Year 7, the gap has widened, particularly for numeracy. (DEET NT 2006)

Indigenous homes, particularly those in remote communities, have fewer books, computers and other educational resources than non-Indigenous homes, making it very difficult for young children to have the kind of continuous contact with books and reading that is necessary for developing early literacy skills. Book Buzz packs are donated both to the schools and to families with young children, by which we hope to instill the personal love of books and story that we in the bookselling industry enjoy, as well as promoting their accessibility as an educational tool.

In the Northern Territory, only one in five children living in very remote Indigenous communities can read at the accepted minimum standard. By Year 7, just 15% achieved this benchmark, 47 percentage points behind their urban Indigenous peers and 74 percent less than non-Indigenous students. (DEET NT 2006)

More than half of Indigenous families living in very remote communities speak an Indigenous language in the home. (ABS, 2001) Their children need extra assistance at school and from the community to learn English as a second language – we hope to provide the tools for the communities to be able to give the extra help needed.

Why English?

Being able to understand and communicate well in ‘Standard Australian English’ is important for the life opportunities of Indigenous children and youth. Literacy in English 'provides them with the necessary skills to interact within mainstream society and avail themselves of the broadest range of civic, social, educational and employment possibilities'. (Mellor and Corrigan, 2004). It is also vital to self-expression and identity in a wider Australia and world context – a concept which is at the heart of understanding and reconciliation between Non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians.

'Reading with Children' - a book in Kriol & English

Reading with Children Reading is a great thing to do. We often think that everyone reads. In many remote communities across Australia, people don’t always have the chance to develop reading skills in English language. This happens for many reasons including isolation, few other speakers of English language and poor access to reading material. It is important for family to be the first teachers of young ones when they are starting to look at books.

ILF has published a book Reading with Children written in both Kriol and English that discusses ways that family can encourage and support reading in young children.