Bookworm Foundation

Spreading the Joy of Reading

A library on wheels

Our mobile library regularly visits schools to give children the opportunity to browse new books.

A white truck painted with colorful doodles stands under a tree in front of a building. The sides of the truck are opened and reveal an assortment of children's books. A group of 15 kids in blue uniform sit behind the truck reading books. Two children stand in front of the truck, looking up at the books.

Lets enjoy a story together

In the kid's corner our young guests can enjoy a story together, but also play, draw, do crafts, read or simply spend time together.

Seven kids sit in front of a bookshelf filled with big picture books. They face a librarian who is reading a story to them. There is a big window on the left and the walls are decorated with paintings.

Introduction to the alphabet

Our literacy centers in the mountainous villages introduce the children to the Thai and English alphabet. Speaking their local language at home sometimes this is their first contact with the Thai language before going to boarding school.

Eight children and a teacher sit around a table in a clay house. The walls are painted in a light blue. The teacher hands out paper and pencils.

Bookworm Home Visit

If someone cannot make the journey, we are happy to make a home visit, bring more reading material and maybe stay for a nice chat.

In a room with multiple hospital beds a man is lying in a bed, covered with a blanket and propped up by pillows. He is wearing reading glasses and looking at the librarian who offers different books to read.

Rang Mai Playtime

One afternoon full of games, performances, stories, and adventures!

20 children sit in a circle outside in front of the library. They are looking at a librarian who is shaking two rattles. In the background are toys, a trampoline, a slide and a table with craft materials.

Noon Noon Books

Everybody can enjoy a good book! Our Noon Noon Books are inclusive to everyone- with or without disability.

A girl around three years old is sitting at a table and playing with a Noon Noon Book. The pictures on the pages are tactile and interactive. Clouds are made out of cotton and a penguin puppet is sitting in a hot air balloon made out of mesh.

A place to meet up

Offering books for every age, the library is a good place to meet up.

Two teenage girls are talking at a table in the library, surrounded by full bookshelves. A third girl is putting back a book into the shelf.

Join Our Caravan!

Bookworm Mobile Van

What Does Bookworm Do?

Community Library and Outreach Projects

Community Library and Outreach

Bookworm runs Rang Mai Community Library in Phrao, Chiang Mai. We also provide mobile library service visiting schools, villages and homes across Phrao. Staff and volunteers conduct two to three outreach programs per week and conduct fun activities with children.

Early Childhood
Literacy

Early Childhood Literacy

Bookworm has set up two early childhood centres for hill tribe children. Sunshine Kids Center and Little Smiles Center both focus on teaching children basic literacy in preparation for primary school away from their villages. Bookworm makes monthly visits to both centres to deliver supplies and assess teaching and learning.

Noon Noon Books

Noon Noon Books

Bookworm produces universal design picture books, which can be enjoyed by children and adults with and without disabilities in Thailand and beyond. These beautiful handmade books are labor of love by hundreds of committed volunteers.

Receiving Our Newsletter?

What's New

Bookworm Featured on NHK World

In august 2023, our founder, Yoshimi Horiuchi, was featured on a 15-minute programme called "Direct Talk" on NHK World. The programme is in English, and you can watch Bookworm's mobile library project in action. Yoshimi talks extensivvely about her motivation to start the project, challenges she has encountered, and much more.

Watch the programme on NHK World Here

Join The Bookworm Club

Be a part of securing the future for our organisation

Bookworm Foundation has achieved amazing things thanks to the tremendous amount of support received since the beginning. It was born as just an idea in 2009, and it has grown to a library with over 10,000 books, a special library truck, and two early childhood literacy centres. Now, more than ever, we need to expand our support membership base in order that we have a bigger, better and deeper foundation upon which to build our work, both now and for the future.

In February 2021, we have set up "Bookworm Club" with an annual support membership scheme that we hope is attractive to a range of interested supporters. Each member will pay an annual membership fee of 1,000 THB or 3,000 JPY, and receive quarterly newsletter as a small token of appreciation from Thailand. See our Support Us page for more information on how to subscribe. For all questions regarding membership, please email us at club@alwaysreadingcaravan.org.
We really hope you consider joining as a member of the Bookworm Club.