New project offers children fascinating trips in book stories

Children across Georgia were on the minds of creators of a new and unique project that has already inspired young readers to get their hands on some of the fascinating books by Georgian and foreign authors.

Artist and teacher Magda Revishvili teamed up with actor and choreographer Nika Kankia to launch the project Travelling the Books for young audiences all around the country.

Based on a European and Latin American model that aims to engage children with libraries, the initiative took off six months ago and already toured Georgia's regions while also hosting events in capital Tbilisi.

A show within Travelling the Books at the Tbilisi Book Days in November 2015. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

In its most recent occasion the project entertained disabled children from the Association Anika, who were hosted by the National Botanical Garden of Georgia on December 24.

The play of the event was based on Finnish author Tove Jansson's 1948 novel Finn Family Moomintroll.

Actor Nika Kankia entertained disabled children at the project's show at National Botanical Garden of Georgia in December.

Drawing the young audience of roughly 50 children into the story with his improvised narration, Kankia's performance involved props and accessories made by Revishvili.

The items decorating the stage included miniature wooden buildings lit in warm colours, detailed figures and illustrations.

The project's shows featured stage props and accessories created by project author Magda Revishvili.

The 45-minute play narrated a part of Jansson's book, but left the crucial part of the novel out, encouraging the young readers to find out the rest by reading the story.

Organisers of the occasion gifted copies of the book - provided by Sulakauri Publishing - to the children at the conclusion of the event.

The project involved similar approach in other locations and events, getting young readers interested in stories before encouraging them to read the related books on their own.

Actor Nika Kankia entertained children with performances based on book stories at 2015 Tbilisi Book Days. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Presented in libraries, kindergartens and fairs for children aged 6-12, the project aimed to hold occasions every month.

Some of the locations in Georgia already toured by organisers included Pshavi, Tchiatura and Kakheti, with the project also presented to young survivors of the June 13 flood in Tbilisi at the Open Circle summer school.

Other locations in distant areas with lack of entertaining and educational projects but reached by Travelling the Books included villages of Samtskhe-Javakheti and refugee settlements Tserovani and Prezeti.

The project already received support from independent organisations including the Taso Foundation under the management of Marina Tabukashvili, in a collaboration that staged 20 shows in Georgian regions.

A performance within the project Travelling the Books at 2015 Tbilisi Book Days. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Another case of partnership was between organisers of Travelling the Books and Tbilisi Book Days event curator Otar Karalashvili, with the resulting six shows entertaining children at the literary occasion held last November.

The project drew on some of the most fascinating stories written for young readers, including Fru, Gi and Others by Eliso Chubinishvili, The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Erich Raspe and Christopher Robin and His Friends by Alan Alexander Milne.

Travelling the Books will be looking to add more viewers and engage more children with reading in the New Year.