De Basm, the Association of Writers for Children and Adolescents in Romania, is launching the project “KitLit – Playful Scenarios Inspired by Contemporary Children’s Literature”, co-financed by AFCN. The initiative introduces an innovative collaboration between authors, teachers, and children: the co-creation of 20 playful activity scenarios designed for primary school classes in Romanian language and literature, as well as in civic education and natural sciences.
Throughout 2025, KitLit will unfold through a series of activities aimed at sparking curiosity and engagement with contemporary children’s literature and building a meaningful dialogue between young readers, writers, and educators:
An Ingenious Educational Kit – “KitLit”
The core of the project is a 130-page teaching kit filled with creative lesson plans tailored for primary education and inspired by 20 valuable books written by contemporary Romanian authors. The kit will be published by Arthur Publishing House, browsable online via debasm.ro during the project, and distributed in 500 printed copies to partner schools. It will later be made available for national sale.
✏️ Creative Workshops
40 creative workshops will take place in 10 schools across 5 counties, reaching approximately 500 pupils. Students will engage directly with 20 Romanian writers, contributing ideas and feedback that help shape the final educational scenarios.
Resources & Teacher Training
A national webinar in partnership with the Teaching Staff Resource Center (CCD) will be held on Tuesday, May 27, addressing at least 200 educators. In addition, 12 training sessions led by CCD trainers will support 360 primary teachers in using the KitLit resources effectively to elevate contemporary literature in their teaching.
Promoting Contemporary Romanian Writers
The project will spotlight the works of 20 Romanian authors who will also lead the interactive workshops:
Adina Rosetti, Iulia Iordan, Victoria Pătrașcu, Carmen Tiderle, Cristina Andone, Laura Grunberg, Lavinia Braniște, Luminița Corneanu, Florin Bican, Alex Moldovan, Dan Ungureanu, Andreea Iatagan, Sînziana Popescu, Augustin Cupșa, Cătălin Pavel, Cristina Preda, Mihai Mănescu, Alexandra Goldillo, Corina Dascălu, and Laura Pamfiloiu.
“Our mission is to bring books to children, to open their minds and hearts through literature,” say the De Basm team. “With KitLit, we aim to boost interest in stories written by Romanian authors, showing that contemporary literature is alive, relevant, and a powerful tool for learning and development.”
For the first time, Romanian Language and Literature lesson plans will be co-created by writers, teachers, and students, ensuring their relevance and encouraging children’s active participation in the learning process by tapping into creativity and nurturing curiosity.
“We want students involved in the scenario creation to gain confidence and provide their own solutions for improving how contemporary Romanian literature is integrated into education. Direct interaction with authors will offer them authentic role models and spark their creativity,” adds project manager Klara Boboc.
KitLit promotes reading among children from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. Through wide distribution and ongoing teacher training, the project seeks to maximize limited resources and turn them into long-term educational assets.
About De Basm
De Basm – The Association of Writers for Children and Adolescents in Romania is an NGO founded in 2018 to promote Romanian contemporary literature for young readers. The association represents children’s authors institutionally and runs cultural and educational programs to foster awareness and appreciation for Romanian children’s books—particularly in underserved areas.
KitLit – Playful Scenarios Inspired by Contemporary Children’s Literature is supported by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN). The content does not necessarily reflect the views of AFCN, which holds no responsibility for how the results are used—this lies entirely with the project beneficiary.
Strategic partners: Arthur Publishing, Teaching Staff Resource Center (Casa Corpului Didactic).