In an exciting development for the Samoan literary community, the country is set to launch its first 10-book bilingual series for children at the end of September.

This ground-breaking initiative is called Tatou Faitau or Let’s Read, and it was initiated by Asia Foundation in partnership with Samoa Early Learning Foundation, a local charitable organisation dedicated to enhancing children's learning, especially in literacy and reading.  

Tatou Faitau or Let's Read, aims to foster a love for reading among young children while preserving and promoting Samoa’s rich culture.

Samoa’s first book series is part of a 10,000-book electronic library from across Asia and the Pacific, translated into 60 languages, and will be launched through a series of read-aloud campaigns and events.  This collaborative effort brings together the talents of twelve local authors and illustrators. Each book in the series is designed to resonate with Samoan children, featuring stories that reflect their everyday lives, cultural practices and unique environment.

The series showcases the work of twelve local authors and illustrators including Enid Westerlund, Gloriana Roebeck, Jane Va’afusuaga, Matauaina Isaako, Teenah Rasch, Veronicca Passi, Czarina Leaumoana, Irae Tanuvasa, Rovimalina Teni, Siufaga Kerslake, Tiana Elijah and Wong Chiu Tuipoloa.  Each creative brings a personal connection to the stories they’ve helped create, ensuring that the books are educational and deeply meaningful to Samoan and Pacifica communities.

The vision for this series is to cultivate a generation of readers, and inspire artists and creatives who are not only literate but also deeply connected to their culture. The books aim to provide children with stories they can see themselves in, fostering a sense of identity and belonging.

“Serving Samoa is always the motive behind any of my work.  This project is very dear to my heart because we need books for our children in our language, with characters they can relate to.  We need to share our own stories not only in electronic format but in print as well.  I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with this and grateful to Asia Foundation, our talented local authors and illustrators and everyone involved in this series”, said Enid Westerlund, the accomplished author and Book Consultant behind this initiative.   

“It’s not just about creating books; it’s about preserving our culture, inspiring our children, and empowering our community through the power of storytelling.”

The official launch of the Samoa 10-book series will take place on 28 September, with events scheduled at various schools, early learning centres, and community reading programs across the country. More than 2000 copies of the book series will be donated to schools, organisations and groups in Samoa.