NEW YORK, June 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lafarge Eco Systems and Turtle Pond Publications have announced that Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, will donate 1000 copies of the New York Times current number one bestselling children's book Owen & Mzee: The Story of a Remarkable Friendship to schools across Kenya.
To break through the language barrier, Scholastic has also agreed to translate the book, which has been scaling the New York Times children's bestseller list for over 16 weeks, into Swahili, making it more accessible to children across Kenya.
Lafarge Ecosystems General manager and co-author of the book Dr. Paula Kahumbu points out the importance of the book reaching as wide an audience as possible, "Lafarge is proud to be associated with Scholastic, whose generous gesture will greatly benefit a lot of children in Kenya -- many of whom may not have access to the book due to financial constraints. This book is not just about a hippo and a tortoise. There are a lot of valuable lessons on friendship and the environment for both children and adults to learn."
The book officially launched in Kenya on June 2nd at Bamburi Cement's Haller Park, Mombasa where the now famous hippo and tortoise reside.
Swahili is widely spoken in Mombasa and along the East African coast where the story of Owen & Mzee unfolded. Swahili people inhabit a 900-mile stretch of the coast from southern Somalia to northern Mozambique. This Bantu language is also the mother tongue of the Swahili people and is widely used across the rest of East Africa. Swahili is spoken by more than 50 million people, with approximately five million first-language speakers and 30 to 50 million second-language speakers.
Lisa Holton, President of Trade Publishing and Scholastic Book Fairs, says, "The story of Owen and Mzee is a tender reminder that in times of trouble friendship is stronger than the differences that sometimes keep us apart."
"Owen and Mzee have become living legends. We wanted children from Kenya and other parts of Africa to share in this beautiful story as it unfolds. This is a story of hope and resilience in a world that children view as dangerous and hostile. It delivers powerful messages on many levels. It is about friendship, diversity and love. We are thrilled that Scholastic has agreed to make the book accessible by translating in to Swahili and donating books for schools in Kenya," said Craig Hatkoff co-author and Chairman of Turtle Pond Publications.
Scholastic is currently translating the book into seven other languages including Hebrew and Arabic. "Owen and Mzee" has been on the New York Times children's bestseller list for the past 16 weeks including four weeks at number one.
About Scholastic (http://www.scholastic.com/)
Scholastic Corporation is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school- based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, http://www.scholastic.com/.
About The Lafarge Group (http://www.lafarge.com/) and Lafarge Eco Systems Limited (http://www.lafargeecosystems.com/)
As the world leader in building materials, Lafarge holds top-ranking positions in all four of its Divisions: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete, Roofing and Gypsum. Lafarge has long been committed to sustainable development and protection of the environment. Lafarge Eco Systems Limited's commitment lies in sustainable management of restored landscapes and since 1971 have created the Haller Park into a self-sustaining ecosystem and wildlife preserve, which it continues to manage today. Lafarge employs 77,000 people in 75 countries and posted sales of EUR14.4 billion in 2004
About Turtle Pond Publications, LLC
Turtle Pond Publications is a private entertainment and media company based in New York. Its interests include a variety of children's publishing ventures and other media investments including the Tribeca Film Festival; the company's principals, Craig Hatkoff and Jane Rosenthal, are co-founders of the festival along with Robert De Niro.
