African Storybook Reader 1.10.3

The ASb Reader: A Distinctive Compilation of African Storybooks

The African Storybook Reader offers an impressive collection of over 1,500 curated picture storybooks, supporting early literacy in 170 African languages. This extensive range is continually expanding, setting it apart from other publishers in terms of linguistic diversity and a robust network of contributors, including authors, illustrators, and translators throughout the continent.

These storybooks are crafted within relevant contexts, addressing the specific experiences of young African children, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas where access to reading materials in familiar languages is critically limited.

Importantly, all storybooks are openly licensed, allowing users to utilize, distribute, and adapt the materials without prior permission or fees. It is requested that users respect the licensing agreements (Creative Commons Attribution or Non-Commercial) and duly credit all contributors including authors, illustrators, translators, and the African Storybook initiative as the publisher.

Each storybook comes with an English version; many also feature French and Portuguese translations, broadening accessibility beyond Anglophone regions to encompass Francophone and Lusophone countries. The initiative was piloted in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, which collectively host the largest number of stories and languages.

• Uganda: Luganda, Sabinyi, Lugbarati, Lunyole, Lumasaaba, Kakwa, Dhopadhola, Lusoga, Ateso, Aringati, Rutooro.
• Kenya: Kiswahili, Ng’aturkana, Maa, Kikamba, Dholuo, Ekegusii, Lubukusu, Olukhayo, Oluwanga.
• South Africa: isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, siSwati, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, Afrikaans.

Additionally, contributions extend to include stories and translations from partners in other nations such as Yoruba from Nigeria and Xitswa from Mozambique.

Target Audience of the ASb Reader

The ASb Reader is designed for teachers and caregivers seeking to access and share engaging stories with children. The platform accommodates both individual and group reading sessions via smartphones or large format tablets.

Though stories are categorized at different levels for varied readers’ proficiency, they are not structured as graded readers but rather meant to foster enjoyment in reading.

Functionality of the ASb Reader

The African Storybook Reader enables users to explore a wide array of approved storybooks and subsequently download desired titles into an offline library for reading.

The explore section facilitates searching by language, newest stories, title, date, and reading level:

1. Level 1: First words – Includes single words or simple sentences; reliance on illustrations (up to 10 words per page).
2. Level 2: First sentences – Comprises two or three sentences per page; illustrations aid comprehension (11-25 words per page).
3. Level 3: First paragraphs – Features one or two short paragraphs with images (26-50 words per page).
4. Level 4: Longer paragraphs – Potential absence of illustrations on every page (51-70 words per page).
5. Level 5: Read aloud – Involves more complex text and some pages without illustrations (71-140 words per page).

The read section displays a library featuring thumbnails of downloaded storybooks for offline reading. While engaging with a story, users can discover related adaptations or translations.

A link directs users to the main website of the African Storybook initiative at www.africanstorybook.org for further exploration of additional stories and language options created by a diverse community of partners and independent contributors. Selected community storybooks undergo a minimum quality verification to achieve ASb Approved status; only these curated titles are featured on the ASb Reader platform.