Press Release Natasja Exel
natasja exel
An innovative picture book in two languages
Out now:
Nadia
en het fan tas tis che haar/ a n d her fa n tas t ic h air
| Eekhoornlaan 39 | 8091 AK Wezep | T +31 38 375 90 05 | info@natasjaexel.nl | www.natasjaexel.nl | CoC Zwolle 30183513
Wezep, 20 augustus 2009
Nadia en het fantastische haar/and her fantastic hair is the title of the first instalment of what is to be a series of Nadia picture books. It was written and illustrated by the illustrator Natasja Exel. The story is told in two languages. The first instalment is out now in Dutch/English.
Nadia’s adventures are set in and around the home, in her own exciting environment. A setting that every child will recognize, even though Nadia lives in Mexico. The things that make her special will appeal to children and stir their imagination. Nadia is a headstrong, happy, and inventive little girl, unhindered by the idea that there are problems that cannot be solved. A positive attitude that young children will find stimulating. Nadia is a picture book, so it does not contain an overwhelming amount of text, and there are dozens of big, beautiful illustrations. This makes it a great book to read to young children starting from around the age of four. And for children who can read for themselves, the book is equally great. Not only because of the detailed drawings full of humour, but also because these children can start learning the second language in a clear and playful way. This is made easier by the fact that the two languages are on the same page. Why two languages? More and more children are exposed to a foreign language from an early age. Some children even grow up in a multi-lingual environment. Think, for instance, of expats’ children, but also of children whose parents have a different mother tongue, as do crown prince Willem Alexander and Maxima. Research has shown that getting children acquainted with a foreign language from a very early age is a positive thing. The advice, for instance, from the Educational Council of the Netherlands is: “start teaching a foreign language in group 1 (age 4).” 1 In addition, bilingual education stimulates children’s learning capacity. “For the best result, therefore, it is best to start multilingual education as early as possible, for example in pre-school”, according to Prof. dr. Van de Craen from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.2 You can purchase Nadia en het fantastische haar / and her fantastic hair through www.nadiabooks.com. Hardcover, full colour, illustrated, 40 pages, ISBN 978-9490203-01-6, retail price €14,50 Readers will be able to download the audio book in Dutch and English for free through www.nadiabooks.com.
Note to editors: Reviewers can apply for a copy through: Natasja Exel, info@natasjaexel.nl, +31 644 922 176 For further information, go to www.nadiabooks.com or www.natasjaexel.nl
1 2
http://tinyurl.com/foreign-language-children http://tinyurl.com/tweetalig-onderwijs/ (Dutch)