New Adventures with Sleipnir
Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature has launched an new step in the project Sleipnir - Your Reading Buddy. This reading initiative for children in Reykjavík now takes the flight even higher with a new book and toolkit for elementary schools and school libraries. The City of Literature worked with the Association of School Library Professionals in creating this new toolkit, aimed at helping school libraries and teachers promote the joy of reading.
A new book about sleipnir
One of Iceland's best known children's book authors, Ævar Þór Benediktsson, wrote a new book about Sleipnir and his adventures, Sleipnir og stórhættulega fjölskyldutréð (Sleipnir and the Dangerous Family Tree). The book can only be found at school libraries as Ævar Þór was commissioned to write it for this purpose by the City of Literature office.
Sleipnir, the children's reading buddy, is a symbol for the joy of reading. Sleipnir is the 8th legged horse of Odin from our Norse mythology and he can fly between worlds as we can do by reading. The new book is the second Sleipnir book published by the Reykjavík City of Literature and both are now presented, together with the tool-kit, to all school libraries in the city. The first book was Vetrarævintýri Sleipnis (Sleipnir's Winter Adventure) by Gerður Kristný. Both books are illustrated by Gunnar Karlsson.
Part of the tool-kit are two videos, accessible on our website. Sleipnir á skólabókasafninu (Sleipnir at the school library) is aimed at children who are starting school and learning to use the library. Sleipnir's message to the kids is to take the flight with him into the world of books and adventure and to enjoy all that the library has to offer. The other video, lestrarhvatning frá Ævari Þór, contains a message from the writer Ævar Þór where he tells a little about his book and encourages children to read, not only his book, but all kinds of books that can be found at the libraries.
A Gift to Reykjavík Schools
The books and accompanying material - videos, bookmarks, assignments and think-tank - are a gift from the Reykjavík City of Literature to Reykjavík schools. Schools in other parts of the country can buy the book and tool-kit for a fair prize, as the City of Literature wishes to make this reading promotional material accessible to schools at a national level.