Exciting Books for First Graders ~ A Unique Reading Education Program in Kurashiki City, Where Bookstores and Elementary Schools Join Forces to “Support Children’s Reading Activities!”

For book lovers, the vast number of books shelved in a library is irresistible. On the other hand, some people visiting a library for the first time may feel unsure where to start and find the experience daunting.

The first library used by first graders with shiny new randoseru backpacks is their school library. School libraries stock not only picture books and novels for reading, but also a wide range of illustrated reference books and dictionaries for research projects.

When I was a teacher in my previous job, I also used the school library with my students during and outside of class. The children seemed excited by the many books, but finding a book they wanted to read during a 45-minute class was still a difficult task.

Kurashiki City provides a “First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection” in every school library. Here we introduce a first-of-its-kind initiative in Japan, in which bookstores and schools join forces to support reading education for first graders.

What is the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection?

The First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection is a collection of books for first graders, located in the school libraries of elementary schools in Kurashiki City.

It began in fiscal 2017 with the aim of helping first graders, who are just beginning their reading education, “easily choose a book they want to read and borrow it smoothly.” It is now available in every school library at Kurashiki City’s municipal elementary schools.

The First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection is not an initiative carried out by schools alone. It was proposed by the Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association, whose members are local booksellers, and was implemented as a city project following discussions with Kurashiki City, which promotes reading.

Bookstores belonging to the Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association mainly supply textbooks to Kurashiki City schools and sell books to their school libraries.

Bookstores and Kurashiki City select books together

Each year, the Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association and the mayor of Kurashiki City select the books together, and the collection continues to grow. In addition to adding books, they are also considering replacing books that have become worn from being read by many people with new copies as needed.

It’s nice for new students to be able to pick up books that are in as good a condition as possible.

When selecting books, publishers choose titles to recommend for the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection based on the following four themes.

1. Friends
2. Family
3. Kindness
4. School life

The Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association reviews the books selected by publishers, and a department within the Board of Education carefully presents them one book at a time. Department staff also pick up the books and review their contents. They are then proposed to the mayor of Kurashiki City.

The mayor of Kurashiki City also picks up each book and reviews its contents before making the selections. If revisions are deemed necessary, the selection process is reviewed from the beginning.

The books selected for the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection in fiscal 2024 are as follows.

The First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection logo

In fiscal 2024, a logo was also created to identify the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection.

Since it is affixed to the books, children can immediately recognize them as part of the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection when they bring them home.

The logo was designed by food illustrator and picture-book author Mayuko Iwasaki, who is from Yakage Town in Oda District and lives in Okayama City.

The illustration was inspired by an actual story from the initiative: “A second grader recommended a book they had read to a first grader, saying, ‘This book was great!’”

The bright colors used around the border in the background are said to represent Kurashiki City’s local specialties: muscat grapes, Pione grapes, and peaches. The yellow circle represents a shiny new first grader.

Bookstores regularly check the condition of school libraries

The Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association does more than select and distribute books.

Its members regularly visit elementary schools to check the condition of their libraries. They ask how the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection is being used and offer advice on creating an environment that makes it easier for children to pick up books.

The publishers are also kept informed about how the First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection is being used at each school. This information is apparently used as a reference when selecting books for the following year.

We spoke with Kataoka Masaki, chair of the Kurashiki City Booksellers’ Cooperative Association, and Yamana Fumiaki, the association’s public relations officer, about their thoughts on the “First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection” and recommended ways to use it.

First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection details

Name	First Graders’ Exciting Book Collection
Address	All elementary schools in Kurashiki City

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