Big Brother Mouse

Big Brother Mouse is a not-for-profit publishing project based in Laos whose work combines book production with literacy access. Its central challenge is the scarcity of appealing, age-appropriate reading material in Lao, especially outside the country's towns and cities. Before the project began, many children and adults in rural communities had encountered little beyond outdated school textbooks and official pamphlets. Big Brother Mouse responds by publishing illustrated books for children, young people, parents, and general readers, then distributing them through school events, village reading rooms, local partnerships, and visitor-supported donations. The project was conceived by Sasha Alyson, a retired book publisher who first visited Laos in 2003. After observing that many village children had never seen a book, Alyson spent several years examining whether a locally rooted publishing operation could be established. He consulted government officials, teachers, students, and nongovernmental organizations, and worked with Lao students Khamla Panyasouk and Siphone Vouthisakdee to develop simple, entertaining books for beginning readers. The initial concept emphasized that reading should be enjoyable rather than associated only with formal education. The first five Big Brother Mouse titles were produced in cooperation with Dokked, a Vientiane publisher, and appeared in March 2006 under Dokked's imprint while carrying the Big Brother Mouse identity. A sixth title followed through cooperation with Action with Lao Children. Later in 2006, Khamla established a licensed publishing entity to produce future books, with Alyson serving as a volunteer adviser. This structure reflected Lao publishing requirements, under which publishers need a special license and individual books must be registered and approved by the government. Big Brother Mouse's publishing list grew rapidly. Its early output concentrated on picture books, alphabet books, rhyming stories, folktales, and humorous animal narratives. It subsequently broadened into health, childcare, nutrition, science, environmental awareness, history, cultural heritage, traditional toys, world cultures, and translations of international literature. The project also preserves Lao oral traditions by collecting and publishing folktales and proverbs. Although many books are aimed at children, the project treats the lack of readable material as a society-wide issue and has created titles for parents, teenagers, adults, and new readers. Publishing alone was not considered sufficient because conventional book sales did not reliably reach rural schools. On 29 December 2006, the project held its first rural school book party in Ban Nunsawat near Luang Prabang. The format combined book distribution with talks about reading and writing and activities such as art lessons. These events became the project's principal distribution mechanism and expanded from 31 in 2007 to 196 in 2008 and 510 in 2010. Big Brother Mouse also began testing village reading rooms in 2008. Usually located in a volunteer's home, these small collections gave residents continuing access to books; by the end of 2010, 146 reading rooms had been established, largely in Ngoi District of Luang Prabang Province. The project operates under a standard Lao business license on a not-for-profit basis because Lao law did not provide a direct equivalent to the nonprofit organizational form common in many Western countries. Its support network has included the Laos Literacy Project in the United States, Planet Wheeler Foundation, and Australia's Global Development Group. Visitors and donors also participate in distribution, with the project encouraging people traveling to villages to give books rather than confectionery or other short-lived gifts. Big Brother Mouse's identity is closely associated with its Lao-language name, Aai Nuu Noi, literally referring to a small rodent as an older brother. The English name was selected because it was memorable and communicative, despite initial concern that “Brother Mouse” might be confused with the title character or political associations of George Orwell's Big Brother. The project's stated slogan is “Books that make literacy fun!” Its distinctive position is therefore not simply that of a small publisher: it is a locally licensed publishing and literacy-access initiative using books, community events, and volunteer networks to make reading more available and attractive in Laos.

Big Brother Mouse emerged from Sasha Alyson's efforts to address the shortage of appealing books in Laos. Alyson visited the country in May 2003 and found that many children in rural villages had never encountered a book. He spent the following three years assessing the feasibility of a publishing project, periodically traveling to Laos from a temporary base in Thailand and consulting public officials, educators, students, and NGOs. During this period Alyson collaborated with Khamla Panyasouk and Siphone Vouthisakdee, two Lao college students who helped create five introductory books. Their approach drew on humor, repetition, illustrations, rhymes, and familiar storytelling techniques rather than the dry instructional style associated with many existing books. The first group included an alphabet book, folktales, animal stories, and simple books for very young children. Illustrations came from Lao artists and students identified through an art contest, helping establish a locally developed creative process. Because Lao publishers require special authorization and individual titles must receive government approval, Alyson initially partnered with Dokked, a Vientiane publisher. The first five books were printed in March 2006 under the Dokked imprint with Big Brother Mouse branding. A sixth title was produced through a similar arrangement with Action with Lao Children. Later that year Khamla secured a business license and a publishing license, forming the basis for the project's continuing publishing activity. The license was reportedly the first publishing license issued in Luang Prabang Province and required officials to investigate how the process should be handled. The project soon learned that interest from organizations that said they would buy children's books did not automatically translate into effective rural distribution. On 29 December 2006 it organized its first school book party in Ban Nunsawat, a village near Luang Prabang. The event combined the distribution of books with presentations by Khamla and Siphone and an art lesson led by illustrator Tha Tao. This model became central to Big Brother Mouse's work, reaching schools directly rather than depending solely on conventional retail or institutional purchasing. The number of school book parties increased from 31 in 2007 to 196 in 2008 and 510 in 2010. In 2008 the project also began creating small village reading rooms in volunteers' homes. By the end of 2010 there were 146 such rooms, concentrated mainly in Ngoi District of Luang Prabang Province. The Planet Wheeler Foundation and Australia's Global Development Group supported this part of the work, while other donors helped finance publishing and distribution. The publishing program expanded beyond children's picture books. New categories included books about animals and environmental stewardship, childcare and women's health, science, history, Lao cultural sites, traditional toys, international cultures, and translated literary works. Folktale and proverb projects aimed to preserve material that had traditionally circulated orally and might otherwise be weakened by changing media habits. Books for adults, including a childcare guide, demonstrated that the project viewed literacy and reading access as connected to health and quality of life as well as schooling. Big Brother Mouse has operated on a not-for-profit basis under a standard Lao business license. The project has relied on book sales, foundations, and individual donors, with some overseas contributions routed through legally established partner organizations such as the Laos Literacy Project in the United States and Global Development Group in Australia. Its organizational model combines Lao ownership and staff leadership with Alyson's continuing volunteer advice and international fundraising relationships.

• 2010

  Distribution network expands

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  The project reports 510 school book parties and 146 village reading rooms, reflecting substantial growth in rural outreach.

• 2008

  Village reading-room pilot begins

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  Big Brother Mouse begins placing small collections in volunteer-run village reading rooms to provide continuing access beyond one-time school visits.

• 2006

  First books published

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  The first five Big Brother Mouse books are printed in March through a cooperative arrangement with Dokked; a sixth follows through Action with Lao Children.

• 2006

  Lao publishing entity established

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  Khamla Panyasouk obtains business and publishing licenses and becomes the primary owner of the entity producing future titles.

• 2006

  First rural school book party

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  The project holds its first book party in Ban Nunsawat on 29 December, establishing a distribution model that combines books with educational and creative activities.

• 2003

  Alyson identifies the rural reading-access problem

  [1]Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org

  Sasha Alyson visits Laos and begins exploring a publishing project after learning that many village children have never seen a book.

A locally rooted Lao publishing and literacy-access project that uses engaging, affordable books and community distribution programs to make reading enjoyable and useful, particularly in rural villages.

• Children's publishing · 2006

  Early-reader picture books

  Illustrated books using short sentences, repetition, humor, rhymes, and animal characters to make reading approachable for beginning readers. Early examples include Frog, Alligator, Buffalo, Baby Frog, Baby Monkey, The Hungry Frog, and The Polar Bear Visits Laos.

• Cultural publishing

  Lao folktales and proverbs

  Collections that record Lao oral traditions, including folktales associated with local heroes and illustrated proverbs gathered from families and older generations. These titles support reading while helping preserve stories that might otherwise become less widely transmitted.

• Health education publishing

  Health and family guides

  Practical books for adults and families address subjects such as breastfeeding, infant care, pregnancy, childbirth, and women's health. Their concise text and accessible presentation extend the project's mission from recreational reading into directly useful information.

• Educational publishing

  Science, nature, and history books

  Titles introduce readers to animals, environmental protection, astronomy, microbes, world geography, and Lao history and heritage. The books are designed to give Lao readers visual and factual access to subjects that may not be covered richly in existing local materials.

• Literary publishing

  Translated and adapted literature

  The catalog includes Lao editions or adaptations of internationally known works, including The Little Mermaid and The Diary of a Young Girl. These titles broaden the range of reading available to teenagers, young adults, and general readers.

• 2008Village reading rooms

  Laos

  Small collections are established in the homes of village volunteers so residents can borrow or read books on an ongoing basis.

  Outcome. The project reported 146 reading rooms by the end of 2010, primarily in Ngoi District.

  Source
• 2006Rural school book parties

  Laos

  Book parties bring collections of new books directly to rural schools and combine distribution with discussions about reading and writing, storytelling, and art activities.

  Outcome. The program became Big Brother Mouse's main distribution channel and expanded to 510 events in 2010.

  Source
• Give books, not candy

  Laos

  The project encourages visitors traveling to rural villages to bring books as gifts rather than candy, linking tourism with longer-lasting access to reading material.

  Source

• 2008

  Add village reading roomsStrategy

  Background

  One-time school events did not provide permanent access to books in every community.

  Action taken

  The project began placing small libraries in the homes of volunteer village hosts.

  Aftermath

  By the end of 2010, 146 reading rooms had been established, mainly in Ngoi District.

  Source

• 2006

  Shift from conventional sales toward direct rural distributionStrategy

  Background

  Organizations expressed interest in purchasing children's books, but few actually bought enough to reach rural communities.

  Action taken

  Big Brother Mouse developed school book parties as a direct outreach and distribution mechanism.

  Aftermath

  Book parties became the project's primary distribution method and grew substantially over the following years.

  Source

1. 1Big Brother Mouseen.wikipedia.org