We are delighted to announce non-profit South African publisher Book Dash as the Brittle Paper 2024 Platform of the Year for their commitment to developing a reading culture in early childhood. We have been fans of their work for some time (see our features on their 10th anniversary and their award win) and are thrilled to officially celebrate them in this way. 

Book Dash is transforming how children in South Africa and beyond access books. Over the past decade, they’ve published 211 original books, translated 566 titles, and distributed an astounding 4.4 million books—most of them donated to families in need.

Book Dash is about creating a culture of reading in homes and communities. Their approach, which includes volunteer-driven “book hackathons” and open-source licensing, makes their model one of the most effective in the world of children’s publishing. Families who receive their books report reading together more often, with children sharing the books with siblings and friends.

What makes Book Dash’s work so impactful? How do they manage to create and distribute books on such a massive scale, all while addressing the issue of children’s book ownership in South Africa?

Book Dash began in 2014 as a vision among friends that “every child should own 100 books by the age of five.” Co-founders Arthur Attwell, Michelle Matthews, and Tarryn-Anne Anderson were working in publishing and technology spaces and frustrated with the children’s books industries. They found that not only were children’s books expensive, they were also often outdated and irrelevant to African children. Executive Director Julia Norrish highlights the stark reality in a promotional message published a few years back: “58% of South African households don’t have a single book, and 93% have fewer than 10.” They decided to use their expertise and connections to revolutionize access to children’s books in South Africa. 

Book Dash is known, among other things, for their book creation process. They host “book hackathons,” where teams of volunteer writers, illustrators, and designers come together to create a complete, high-quality children’s book in just 12 hours. This collaborative marathon taps into the talents of people who want to give back to the community. The books are licensed under Creative Commons, which allows anyone to freely access, print, and distribute them. This keeps production costs low but and ensures that more children can own books.

In our interview with them, Book Dash emphasized that their mission goes beyond publishing books: “The truth is, the books (beautiful as they are) are a means to an end. Really, Book Dash is a bold project of social and economic upliftment, focused on a key lever for change: books in homes.” In their annual report, which is accessible here, they cite research that links early childhood book ownership to greater future success.

When children have access to books, they are more likely to engage in reading and storytelling with their families, which strengthens early literacy skills and fosters positive parent-child interactions. Additionally, children with more books tend to have improved cognitive skills, including early numeracy and executive functioning. These early advantages can lead to better academic performance, increased years of schooling, and ultimately, greater life success. Ultimately, a love of reading and access to books can contribute to a child’s overall well-being and future opportunities.

Traditional publishing is restricted by production costs and thus cannot achieve the scale of growth Book Dash has managed to achieve. One of the secrets to their success is relying on community: 

“At Book Dash, we know that we can’t do it alone, and we recognise that partnership allows us to scale effectively and cost-effectively: by focusing on what we do best, and helping others to do the same, we can have a greater collective impact on children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development.”

Book Dash books are entirely volunteer-driven. They have worked with more than 400 writers, illustrators, designers, and editors, who volunteer their time. They work with 150 organizations across South Africa to distribute physical copies of their books to children and develop community-based literary programs. All of their work is supported by their many generous funding partners who also assist in high-level organizational goals.

Their open-source publishing model means that there are no restrictions on their vast library of original storybooks. Everyone is welcome to download them, make audio and animated versions, and translate them into any language. This makes Book Dash not only incredibly successful but also completely changes how we can think about publishing as not just a profit-based business. The Book Dash library is constantly expanding with new books and new translations. The library currently features African languages including siNdebele, Setswana, and Xitsonga, a fact that is crucial to Book Dash’s vision:

“Reading in a familiar language allows children to focus on understanding and analyzing content, rather than decoding unfamiliar words. It allows families to share stories and values in their native language, strengthening familial ties.”

The impact of Book Dash goes beyond numbers and is felt by the communities they are a part of. Book Dash hosts annual “knowledge-sharing sessions” with organizations that receive physical copies of their books. These sessions offer insight into the real stories of those that Book Dash has been able to reach:

A grandmother caring for her grandchildren in Msinga told us that the books have helped her engage more with her grandchildren’s education. Although she has limited formal education, she loves sitting with them as they read aloud, offering encouragement and helping them understand the stories. She mentioned that the stories in the books have sparked conversations about community values, like helping others and overcoming challenges.

This is just one example of the kinds of stories that have come out of Book Dash’s ten-year journey.  We wish Book Dash the best in continuing their mission to make the world a better place through books!

What can you do?

  • Read their annual report to learn more about Book Dash’s impact.
  • Explore their library of children’s books, and share the books with the children in your world.
  • Find out how you can help support their mission.
  • Follow Book Dash on social media: IG: @bookdash
  • Share this article with friends, family, or anyone who might be inspired to support their cause.

 

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All photos are by Jen Khumalo.