A Brief Conversation with Johan Unenge

Abstract

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2012 7 PHOTO: ULRICA ZWENGER A n accomplished writer and illustrator of children’s books, Johan Unenge is also Sweden’s Ambassador for Reading Promotion. Michelle Johnson: When we met in Stockholm, you said you weren’t an avid reader when you were twelve—that you were more interested in skateboarding. How did you later come to reading? Johan Unenge: Both of my parents were readers, so I was surrounded by books. They were both working in advertising and interested in all kinds of art and design, so when my sister and I started to read comics, they didn’t disapprove like many parents did at the time (comics were then held responsible for all kinds of societal problems). Instead, they (very wisely) considered this as a kind of reading— which it obviously is. I soon started to make my own comics, forcing me to write and spell. My interest in skateboarding inspired me to read English, with no other purpose at the time than trying to figure out different skateboard tricks. I think about that a lot in my new role as reading ambassador. Motivation and curiosity are key when it comes to reading. Teachers have to find these in every pupil. They’re in there somewhere. . . . MJ: As Sweden’s first Ambassador for Reading Promotion, is the creation of this position in response to a recent change in children’s reading habits? JU: In a way, yes, but even more related to the weak results that Swedish pupils get in international surveys (the Pisa report and others), where their ability to understand what they read has gone down significantly in recent years. From my position, there isn’t much I can do except emphasize this on every possible occasion when I meet schoolteachers and parents. I avoid this in contact with pupils. MJ: What do you plan to do to get kids reading? JU: Sweden is one of the most equal countries in the world. We have been trying to flatten out all differences for the last fifty years. But conditions are still not totally equal for kids. A lot of people never received higher education and never developed reading habits, so turning to parents is not a very democratic way, in my opinion. It must be run through school. And it has to be done by dedicated teachers , synchronizing their efforts with librarians, making the library into a much more enticing place to visit. As simple a thing as a form would do the job of guiding kids. Let everyone fill in hobbies, reading preferences (if any, otherwise films, etc.), age, if they want heavy books or thin books. Later, they could be served like they are on the Internet—an “if you like this, you’d probably like this” kind of approach. And the room itself must be made into a place where you get reading impulses. “What’s in it for me?” is the question that has to be answered. And the signs should say that. Instead of “Thrillers” and “Vampires,” the signs should say: “Books for readers who have recently been dumped”; “Books for readers who don’t have time for books”; “Books for readers who don’t want to sleep at night.” The most important thing is bringing the writers to the schools and letting them talk about their books. Meeting a real author might be the turning point in any pupil’s life. I’ve seen it happen many times. MJ: Are there two or three books that are available in English you would recommend to get kids reading? JU: I would say The Hunger Games— fantastic story, well executed—and anything by Roald Dahl, especially his works for younger children illustrated by the wonderful Quentin Blake. notebook A Brief Conversation with Johan Unenge ...