Reading Festival Captain Book Author readings at the Marienheide Comprehensive School

Oberberg District. As part of the reading festival "Käpt’n Book," author Tobias Steinfeld and author Mirjam Raymond were guests at the Marienheide Comprehensive School. In two readings, they presented their books to students in grades five to seven. The focus was not only on reading aloud. The young listeners were actively involved in the events, asking questions, sharing thoughts, and engaging with the themes of the stories. The "Käpt’n Book" reading festival in the Oberberg District was initiated for the first time jointly by the Cultural Office of the Oberberg District and the Oberberg Education Office.

Tobias Steinfeld reads from his book "Scheiße bauen: sehr gut"

Youth author Tobias Steinfeld kicked off the event with his book "Scheiße bauen: sehr gut." About 90 fifth-grade students participated in the reading. The novel focuses on prejudices, inclusion, and interpersonal relationships. The story revolves around a high school student doing an internship at a special needs school.
The author made his reading interactive. Between passages, the children engaged with the author in conversations, asked questions, and speculated about the plot's progression.
Tobias Steinfeld also shared his own experiences as a former inclusion assistant at a special needs school. The insights he gained there are reflected in his novel.

Mirjam Raymond reads from her novel "Von Null auf Held oder wer ist eigentlich Amin?"

Following this, Mirjam Raymond presented her debut novel "Von Null auf Held oder wer ist eigentlich Amin?" to sixth and seventh-grade students. In it, twelve-year-old Johnny, often at odds with his big mouth, searches for his missing classmate Amin. In Amin’s diary, he discovers clues about Amin’s life in a refugee shelter and learns that the boy is in great danger. An unusual friendship begins.

Using illustrations from the book and objects from the story, including a diary, the author made the story tangible for the students. The interactive reading gave the students an opportunity to ask questions. In her novel, she addresses topics such as migration and xenophobia and conveys them in an age-appropriate manner.

Inspiring a love of reading and fostering language development

The two readings were part of the Oberberg Education Network.

"The readings show that an author encounter can go far beyond simply reading aloud. Through conversations, questions, and the active involvement of the classes, a lively exchange was created, providing direct access to the books and the themes they address," says Silke Engel from the Cultural Office of the Oberberg District.

"The aim of the readings was to inspire a love of reading and stories. Reading expands vocabulary, strengthens language comprehension, and encourages children and young people to engage with language, stories, and different perspectives," says Birgit Steuer from the Oberberg Education Office.

Call to action for the Nationwide Reading Day on November 20, 2026

In line with the theme of "reading aloud," the Oberberg Education Office would like to draw attention to this year’s Nationwide Reading Day on November 20, 2026, and encourage creative actions to promote the joy of reading. Actions in the Oberberg District can be registered on the following website and will be entered into the annual raffle: www.bildung-in-oberberg.de/vorlesetag

Oberberg Education Network

In the Oberberg Education Network, daycares and schools work together with the Oberberg District, the municipalities, the state of NRW, associations, and regional education stakeholders to provide children and young people with good and successful learning and life opportunities.

Together, they create support offerings in the form of, for example, training sessions, projects, equipment, or events for children, young people, parents, and professionals in schools and daycares. Through exchange and connection within the network, synergies and added value are created that a single network actor could not achieve alone.