Message to the readers
A warm welcome to you!
My name is Anna and I’m deeply passionate about old-school skills like reading and writing. In a world that moves faster every day, these quiet, powerful abilities are slowly losing their place in our lives — and the consequences are becoming increasingly visible.
Short social media posts have replaced immersive books. Scrolling has replaced reflection. Typing on screens has replaced the physical act of writing by hand. Information comes quickly — but it rarely stays. We consume more words than ever before, yet we absorb less meaning.
And honestly… if only you knew what you were missing.
Reading a real book trains the mind to slow down, to focus, to imagine, to think deeply. Writing by hand connects thought and movement, strengthening memory and clarity in a way that no keyboard ever can. These are not nostalgic habits from the past — they are scientifically supported tools for mental strength and emotional balance.
I’ll keep it simple. Both reading and writing have the unique power to:
• Reduce stress
• Improve memory
• Sharpen focus
• Increase attention span
• Strengthen critical thinking
• Support emotional well-being
Neuroscience and cognitive psychology consistently show that deep reading and handwriting activate multiple areas of the brain, improve information retention, and build stronger neural connections. In an age of distraction, they train sustained attention — a skill that is becoming increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
That’s why these traditional skills are not outdated. They are, in fact, a simple yet powerful remedy for some of the biggest challenges of our time: distraction, anxiety, superficial learning, and mental overload.
This is why I create books that encourage real reading and real writing — for both children and adults. Books that invite you to slow down, to engage deeply, to learn with intention. Books that help families build not only language skills, but focus, confidence, and meaningful time together.
Because sometimes the most powerful tools for the future are the ones we almost forgot.
Short resume
Anna Rijkers-Baranova
• Author and researcher
• MSc (research) Educational Sciences (Utrecht University) with specialization in multilingualism
• Participant of International Symposium on Bilingualism 12 (University of Alberta, Canada) and 15 (Donostia San Sebastian, Spain)
