Hoi helps run the reading corner at a neighborhood center

Every Saturday afternoon, Hoi Ting goes to the community center near her home as a volunteer to help take care of the small reading corner.

On the surface, the work seems as simple as putting books away and arranging them neatly, but in reality she has to think about what kinds of content children of different ages will be interested in.

This week, several new families will be bringing their children for the first time, so the person in charge hopes Hoi Ting can prepare a set of easier storybooks and attach clear labels.

As she sorted them, she discovered that some books had few words but themes that were too abstract; other picture books were very appealing and perfectly suited children who were just beginning to read by themselves.

Later, a father came over with his son and asked which kinds of books would be better if the family did not speak Cantonese all the time at home.

After hearing that, Hoi Ting did not immediately recommend the hardest books; instead she first chose several stories with clear rhythm and more repetition, because she knew that giving people the confidence to keep reading mattered more than learning many characters right at the start.