SARAJEVO – Ten-year-old Farah Trešnjo’s love for books and reading began when she was four years old. Before she could read, Farah enjoyed listening to her mom read her favorite picture books and books.
This little girl has translated the events of her summer vacation into the book “We played angry earthworms on vacation”. And of course, he doesn’t mean to stop. She plans to continue writing about her friends, vacations, travels… Farah is the youngest writer in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She is a fourth-grade student at the “Isak Samokovlija” Elementary School in Sarajevo, class president and an excellent student. She translated the events of the vacation, forgotten games and friendships into a book whose actors are all her friends.
This little girl has translated the events of her summer vacation into the book “We played angry earthworms on vacation”. And of course, he doesn’t mean to stop. He plans to continue writing about his friends, vacations, travels…
“I always wanted to write a book. Even when I was little, I was three or four years old, I wanted to read my own book one day. So last year, maybe in September, I came up with the idea to write a book about hanging out with friends on vacation, our friendship and the games we played,” said Farah.
She wrote the book in five months, and the promotion was held in April, on her birthday.
“The goal of my writing and this book was for children to socialize more, play together, and not through some video games. In the book, I wrote about how you can get closer to someone and become a true friend. The point is for children to understand that you don’t need cell phones to be friends with someone, but real socializing and playing,” said Farah.
The love for reading appeared in kindergarten. At the age of four, she joined the “Bubamara” children’s reading room, a group in the children’s section of the Library of Sarajevo where children come from the age of four until they start school.
“It’s actually a library – a kindergarten. I’ve been here since I was four. I would read a picture book every day,” Farah said.
He already has plans for a second book.
“Soon, I plan to start writing a new book with the same name, only with ‘continuation’ in parentheses. I plan to add another game we played in this book – Indians and Cowboys. I planned to start writing, but on my cell phone because our computer doesn’t work. However, it is very difficult on a mobile phone. I plan to use some of my earnings to buy a computer so I can write,” said Farah.
This ten-year-old girl volunteers in the library during the holidays – she puts books in the window, but also suggests books to people who come. During the winter break, he reads picture books to small children who are in kindergarten.
Farah does not keep her love for reading and the written word to herself. She shares this love and passes it on to her friends, so it can be said that she is a real promoter of reading. He also brings his friends to the library so that they too become active members.
In addition to her family, her aunts from the library are a big support. Vesna and Suzana are there for her, support in every sense. They are responsible for her love of reading.
“They taught me that reading is important. Through reading, we can understand what friendship means,” said Farah.
She told the children that they should go outside more, play and socialize.
“Because in the end, friends are the only ones left. There are also video games that do a lot of harm, and some children become violent, depending on what they play,” said Farah.
Her wish is to translate the book into English, but above all to have her book read in schools.
“I want it to be reading material in schools because many children do not like to read, and this book is interesting and funny. That’s what children like to read, so maybe they would like reading with my book,” added Farah.
Written by: Vesna Bešić
This story was written thanks to the generous support of the American people through the “Strength of the Local” program of the United States Agency for International Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (USAID). The content of the story is solely the responsibility of the author and the “Network for Building Peace”. The views expressed in the story do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
