Morgane Dahrup-Anderson, née Bougiard, was born in Morlaix and grew up in Brest. Now a thirty-year-old young woman living in Copenhagen is publishing her first book for children ages 3 and up. The first volume in a series of twelve volumes, “The Magic Wardrobe” introduces young people to the discovery of English in a gentle way aimed at achieving bilingualism.
How did you end up in Copenhagen?
Morgane Dahrup-Andersson: “After ES Baccalaureate, I went to Modern Literature at UBO. I always liked studies but I didn’t like the method. I loved to travel and write. I always do, actually. So in 2011 I moved to Calgary, then Vancouver, Stockholm, Dublin, London … I went to Iceland, Norway. Each time, I took care of the children, I taught them French, and the rest of the time, I discovered cities and countries. Always writing. I especially liked Denmark, and then I fell in love there and had a son. So I’m staying now.”
You talk about writing, but when was it specifically aimed at children?
M. DA: “Here, I teach French online and most exchanges and interactions take place in English. I wrote stories in English to teach French because stories are the best way to learn a new language. For children, grammar and vocabulary are naturally retained through a story, and the sooner you start, the better. I don’t think I speak English thanks to what I learned at school in France. We may start too late or the method is not very suitable. You should have fun. I wanted to start a new method, created my publishing house “Once Upon a Language” (“Once Upon a Language”) and started writing “The Magic Wardrobe” adventures.
What is its history and purpose?
Mr. D.A. : “In this first story, ‘L’Ami de Loin’, Arnaud meets Alice coming out of her closet. She doesn’t speak the same language as him, how can they be friends? I promise you: they will get there! This first book gives you the vocabulary and technique to present yourself.
Twelve volumes have been announced, and do you already know what’s next?
Mr. D.A. “Obviously they will all be different. There will be all the simple lessons of talking with some animals, parents and children, touching them and expressing their love for their language, whether they are alone or with their parents, while having fun above all. The next three are already written and should not be long”.
Comfortable
“The Magic Wardrobe, Volume 1: The Front from Far”, Once Upon a Language Editions. ISBN 978-87-973445-2-1. Price: €7.50.
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