Yara loves to read. Her favourite book is “A Big Bug” that’s available on Kibooks, an online reading platform that is available to young readers residing at our “Place” buildings.
Six-year-old Yara recently won a reading competition, reading over 20 books during the July holiday period. Coming from a family who loves to read, Yara’s mom introduced her to reading when she was young – acting out stories and making up different voices for the different characters before bedtime.
“Reading is so important. It grows your knowledge, helps with creativity and improve vocabulary”, Yara’s mom Lizzy says.
“When there is a word she is unsure of how to pronounce or what it means, she must ask us to help her and explain. Yara is performing well at school because of her reading. She enjoys reading – she even reads billboards, trucks and signage when we drive.”
Lizzy loves the free service, calling it the “best thing ever”. Books are expensive but with Kibooks she can access the digital library and choose any of the 6 000 titles in a range of genres and themes, available in all 11 official languages, anywhere, anytime and on any device.”
Reading is a foundational skill and matters if you want to be successful, not only in school, but in life. Research shows that learners with strong literacy skills are more likely to stay longer in school and do well academically. In South Africa, 81% of 10-year-old don’t understand what they are reading.
As we commemorate National Book Week, below are some impressive stats on how our tenants are using Kibooks:
- 2 781 books accessed
- 150 hours, 57 min total reading time
- 32 594 pages read
- 1 762 story books read
- 1 022 non-fiction books read
- 2 348 English books read
Lizzy’s dream is for Kibooks to continue and to reach the corners of our country. And with that Yara reminds us that “a reading nation is a winning nation.” The end.
Click here if you want to watch the interview with Lizzy and Yara
*You’re never too old to pick up a book and create magical moments with your child. As a City Property tenant you have access to the Kibooks portal. Check the posters at your building for the username and password, or ask your building manager for the details.