REPORT

In Madagascar, "Soa et Ilo", a collection of bilingual children's books in Malagasy and French

Just launched, the "Soa et Ilo" collection tells the story of the daily life of young lemurs in Malagasy and French. The bilingual book, a precursor on the Big Island, fills an immense need for content in the native language. Faced with the ubiquity of children's books in French, the second official language, used in schools, author Florence Dimani wanted to tell Malagasy children stories that speak to them.

"Soa et Ilo", a book and collection in Malagasy and French. © Pauline Le Troquier / RFI

By: RFI Follow

Advertising

Read More

«

It's a 100% Malagasy book and I like it ». What 6-year-old Noa enjoys so much are the familiar situations in the adventures of "Soa and Ilo". Celebrating Christmas in Madagascar, protecting oneself from cyclones, stories that did not yet have a place in his library. "At home, I have The Incredibles, Pinocchio and Tintin. This book is very new, I've never had a book like this at home," says

In addition to being edited and printed on the island, the stories of these maki siblings came to life when illustrator Catmouse James drew her own childhood memories. "I lived through the cyclone when I was little. My mom was really someone who panicked easily in the face of cyclones and we slept under the table. I found in the book this kind of little scares which is quite sweet and funny. There's a kind of timelessness and universality in the childhood of 'Soa and Ilo,'" she says.

In this deliberately local universe, the story is told in Malagasy, but also in French. For Ihoby, mother of two young readers, this double reading means a lot: "We, as parents, like at the same time that the children know the French language but that they know their origin, which is Malagasy. So (it's important) that they don't lose that personality. This book responds to that expectation. And we hope that it will multiply, to allow everyone to have this option: to learn another language and at the same time keep who we are.

By gently and mischievously blending the quest for identity and bilingual reading, "Soa et Ilo" has already found its audience.

Read alsoMadagascar: growing success of the first children's book on understanding emotions

The goal is to help children succeed in school

00:55

Florence Dimani, author

Pauline Le Troquier

NewsletterGet all the latest international news straight to your inbox

Subscribe now

Keep up to date with all the latest international news by downloading the RFI app

Share:

Read on the same topics:

• Madagascar
• Culture