Helmet Library to give book to first graders in Helsinki

Helmet libraries and publishers will give a book gift to all first graders in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in the school year 2023–2024, said the city in a press release on Monday.

The first-grader campaign is a significant investment in the literacy of small readers. The campaign aims to provide each first grader with an age-appropriate, high-quality book of their very own.

It also invites all new pupils to visit their local library either with the teacher or their family. The campaign started in the Helmet libraries on Monday.

This year’s Finnish-language book gift is called Zakir ja kevät, written by Malin Klingenberg and illustrated by Margareta Sandin. Translation from Swedish to Finnish by Outi Menna. The book is published by Kustantamo S&S.

Helmet library will also donate Swedish- and Russian-speaking children beginning their school books in their native language.

The Swedish-language book is the same book as in the Finnish campaign but in Swedish, Malin Klingenberg’s and Margareta Sandin’s Zakir och våren, published by Kustantamo S&S. The Russian-language book is Jevgenija Rusinova’s Tretje sentjabrja, published by Feniks.

Employees of Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa libraries will invite first grade classes and their teachers to the libraries, and the book gifts will be presented during the visit.

In Espoo, first-graders get their books during their class visit to a library or by visiting a local library and showing the bookmark they got from their teacher. 

Celia’s books are available to everybody with difficulties reading ordinary books due to dyslexia, disease, injury or a corresponding reason.

Celia will provide audio books of the Finnish- and Swedish-language campaign books. The child must have Celia’s online service identifiers to get the book. Ask the school or the library about the identifiers.