Hello and Happy July from all of us here at LibraryCall!
We're hoping this message reaches you in the midst of some well-deserved relaxation- perhaps lounging in a beach chair with a delicious beverage complete with a tiny umbrella. But, we also know that many of you are likely busy running Summer Reading programs for your communities, and we applaud the hard work you're doing to spread the love of reading. Regardless of how you're spending your summer, we hope it's been an enjoyable and fulfilling season so far.
Arezo Mayaar: Bringing You Stories from Afghanistan
This week, we’d like to introduce you to Arezo Mayaar, LibraryCall’s Dari and Pashto language contributor. Arezo, whose name means "wish" in Dari (Afghan Persian/Farsi), wrote and narrated our first 12 audio stories in Dari, one of Afghanistan's two national languages.
With over 100,000 immigrants from Afghanistan settling in the United States in recent years, it's important to recognize the significance of Afghanistan's rich oral storytelling traditions in both Dari and Pashto. However, many newly-arrived Afghan parents have expressed concern that their children will not maintain their language fluency while growing up in the US. That's where Arezo's contributions come in- we're thrilled to offer her engaging and culturally relevant stories to our listeners in Dari, as well as in English and Spanish translations. We will be adding Arezo’s Pashto stories in the coming months.
If you serve a Dari-speaking community in your area and would like to add a Dari language line, we're here to help! Normally, adding a new language line to your subscription would cost an additional $500 per year, but we're currently offering a special deal. Sign up for a Dari line before Labor Day, and it'll be free until your next renewal date. Contact us for more information!
New Stories
The Kind Elephant by Arezo Mayaar
A kind but lonely elephant seeks friendship among the other animals of the forest, yet one by one, they reject him. One day, a lion enters the forest, and all the other animals flee in terror. The elephant alone can protect the smaller animals, but why bother when they were all so cruel to him? This story is also available in Dari.
Gigi Finds Her Voice by Lorena Romero
Gigi loves to sing, and is good at it! But she is held back by terrible stage fright. In spite of this, she signs up for the school talent show, hoping to overcome her fear and find her voice. This story is also available in Spanish.