Norwegian author takes local children to animal world
Katrine Haukenes, deputy consul general of Norway Consulate General in Shanghai, presents 50 gift books to cultural venues in Jing'an District.
Hakkon Lie invites a boy to paint with him.
Children take part in the event.
More than 50 children took part in a cross-cultural reading event held at the Jing'an Children's Library on Saturday.
Hakkon Lie from Norway brought the Chinese version of his first illustration book "What jobs would animals have?" to the event, presenting to the young readers a world of fantasy.
Lie lives in a forest in Norway and he has traveled around the world, trekking in jungles and swimming in waters, to "befriend" different animals. In the book, he creates an "animal society" where elephants are fire-fighters, birds are pilots and whale sharks are underwater bus drivers.
He said he hopes to introduce the great beauties and the living philosophy of the natural world to children through his book. Also, he hopes he can inspire children to keep curiosity and imagination.
Katrine Haukenes, deputy consul general at the Norway Consulate General in Shanghai, attended the event.
She said in the digital era when more and more children get to know the world through smart phone, it's good to have such a reading event to bring children back to books. She hoped more Norwegian children's books will enter Chinese market.
In the event, she presented 50 copies of "What jobs would animals have?" as gifts to community cultural venues in Jing'an District.
The event's organizer Oriental Danology Institute, a social group dedicated to enhancing cross-cultural understanding, has held nearly 50 events of its kind, with the support from consulates from nearly 20 countries including France, Mexico and India.
