Students with new books at a classroom in Nyima county, Nagqu prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region Photo: Courtesy of Sun Peng

Nearly 4,800 meters above sea level in Nyima county, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, thousands of children were growing up with the grasslands as their main horizon. However, some people believe a child's vision should not end at the pasture fence, and for them, reading has become a window to a much broader world.

Sun Peng, a children's literature writer from Beijing, is one of them. He spent three years working to promote reading in Nyima county. Inspired by the children he met, he launched a public welfare project called "The Library in the Sky." Starting from simple book corners in local schools in 2022, the project expanded to bringing reading classes, picture book teaching, and art education to these highland schools, with volunteers from all over China joining Sun to deliver standard Chinese- and Tibetan-language books and reading materials right to the desks of children.

Now, Sun has gathered these moving experiences into a nonfiction book also titled The Library in the Sky. 

Noting that regulations to promote reading among the public were recently launched, Sun told the Global Times that he hopes this grassroots reading journey - rooted in the 4,800-meter-high plateau - might be seen as a special and powerful example for reading promotion across China.

Literature writer Sun Peng Photo: Courtesy of Sun Peng

Planting seeds on the plateau

When Sun first arrived in Xizang, he was awestruck by Nyima county's sweeping grasslands and vibrant wildlife - wild yaks making their way through the snow and herds of Tibetan antelope bounding across the land. On this highland, the persistence of life shines through in its purest form. 

As a writer and advocate for children's literature, Sun quickly noticed that while many local children dreamed big, their access to books was limited, especially at home. He began to ask: beyond renovating dorms and classrooms, what else is needed to broaden their horizons?

He found the answer was in books.

In October 2022, just two months after arriving, Sun shared a heartfelt post on social media: He wanted to build a "library in the sky" for the children of the plateau. 

In his post, he described the real challenges faced by students - books in short supply and little reading support - and called on the entire country to donate age-appropriate children's books. This small act would spark a major campaign for youth reading in the 4,800-meter-high region.

Sun soon found himself contacting publishers, foundations, and volunteer teams. Gradually, thousands of quality children's books poured into the county's schools, allowing a new reading culture to take hold during breaks and after school.

But books were just the beginning. Sun also invited dozens of writers, Chinese teachers, reading advocates, and art educators from across China to journey into these classrooms. They introduced not just new reading strategies and picture books, but also creative writing, self-expression, and children's art. 

For the first time, local students saw stories performed vividly, and tried their hand at storytelling and drawing.

Sun told the Global Times that each step of building "The Library in the Sky" was a struggle. Nyima's remote location and harsh conditions made transport difficult; donors often covered high shipping fees out of pocket. Brand-new books and collected storybooks sometimes arrived water-damaged or with boxes broken open after long journeys and transfers.

Volunteers also had to overcome physical hardship and time constraints. 

Sun recalled a Beijing teacher who spent months arranging the schedule, only to have to turn back in Lhasa after being struck by severe altitude sickness. But even knowing the risks, many more volunteers pressed on, determined to bring living reading lessons to the plateau's children.

After three years, "The Library in the Sky" bore real fruit.

One middle school and 13 primary schools in the county now enjoy much richer, more varied book collections. Every class has a reading corner, and schools host regular reading competitions and offer lessons built around books.

Even more valuable, local teachers have grown into "reading beacons" for the highland - dedicated guides who light the path for children, bridging the gap between students and the world of books.

Making reading a habit

Even with thousands of quality books shipped to the plateau, Sun said, there is still a "last mile" to cover before having a real impact: helping children build new reading habits from scratch. Books cannot just sit locked away in libraries - they must be within easy reach. 

Sun encouraged schools not to store donated books on high shelves or in closed rooms, but to keep them right beside each child's desk. That way, reading becomes a spontaneous part of daily life: Children grab books during breaks, tuck them inside their desks, swap stories, and naturally create a climate of reading.

Given that over half of the students in Nyima are boarders, teachers also set up small reading zones in dormitories, so kids can leaf through books after class and before bed. Sun also added Tibetan-language picture books to the donation lists, sparking much interest.

As more and more students discovered the joy of reading, subtle changes appeared. Sun shared the story of a girl who, after reading about tennis player Li Na in a picture book, was inspired to write a letter to her. Sun passed on the letter and Li herself wrote back, kindling the girl's passion for learning and inspiring her to set her sights on studying in Beijing.

Sun said that the real purpose behind "The Library in the Sky" was never just to donate books. He hopes the children of the grasslands will find through reading a different horizon, so they can see not only herds and grass but distant rivers, mountains, and the world beyond.

As Sun writes at the end of his book: "The story of a library is never truly finished." 

As China's push for nationwide reading continues, the fragrance of books is quietly lighting a spiritual path for the children on the plateau, leading them toward a wider world and a brighter future.