Introduction:

Five Years of Planting Seeds and Leaving a Legacy

Five years ago, when I started the Johannesluisterbieb here at our local school in Amsterdam, the goals were simple and close to the ground: to help our children with their reading and listening practice. I’m Khadija, the founder, producer, and chief librarian/volunteer of this small initiative.

This project is deeply personal to me; it’s a way of giving back to the primary school my own children attended, leaving behind something meaningful for future generations.

You know, the publishing world can be tough. After searching I personally choose to publish on demand.

I remember one student asking me, “Khadija, why did the book join the police?” I had no idea, of course.

The answer? “Because it had a lot of arresting chapters!” Well, our chapters, whether in print or audio, are certainly stopping people in their tracks.

Today, I’m bursting with pride to announce that the Johannesluisterbieb has been ranked No. 68 on the prestigious Million Podcasts list of the “Best 90 Children Literature Podcasts.”

The link does work but if it doesn’t https://www.millionpodcasts.com/children-literature-podcasts/

To the world, we might look like a podcast with just 63 subscribers on Spotify. But to our community, we are a five-year-old movement and a global contender!

The Legacy Project:

From Brainstorm to Published Author

The foundation of the Johannesluisterbieb is not purely digital; it is rooted in a physical space—our own school library, established in 2018. This continuity, connecting the library to the podcast, ensures our project remains grounded in literacy.

The true turning point came with the idea of a legacy.

My vision was for the final-year students to create a monumental piece of work they could leave behind for the younger classes.

The Group 8 class of 2025 took this challenge and transformed it into a world-class educational model:

Co-Creation and Authorship: The students are the absolute co-creators of the content.

They brainstorm the ideas, invent the characters, decide on the plot, and ultimately craft the sentences their characters speak. This is the children’s story, written in their own voices.

Integrating Modern Tools: I encourage them to use tools like ChatGPT to test their ideas and refine their characters’ backstories. It’s amazing watching them treat the AI not as an answer generator, but as an assistant—a true lesson in directing technology.

The Power of Print and Performance: The finished script is more than just a document. We print out the finished pages—a tangible manuscript—which the students then turn into a play. I spent my summer as the volunteer producer adapting and translating these pieces so the children could read and perform their stories together.

The highest mark of their achievement is that their collective play piece is now a commercially available book.

This work, created from their brainstorm to printed pages, is available for anyone to purchase.

The children of Group 8 (2025) are now published authors, leaving an indelible mark on the school’s history.

Why Rank No. 68 is Our Greatest Achievement

When you look at our subscriber count—just 63 wonderful, dedicated listeners—you might scratch your head at the No. 68 ranking. But this is the beauty of this particular accolade.

It confirms what I’ve always known: that quality, methodology, and educational impact trump sheer popularity.

Being ranked in the Million Podcasts Top 90 means the evaluators didn’t just count downloads; they looked at the soul and structure of the project.

Validation of Our Methodology: This ranking validates our core belief: that the most effective way to teach literacy is through active creation. The judges recognized our groundbreaking, project-based model that connects the 2018 library, the classroom, and the digital world.

Recognition of Volunteer Dedication: As the sole founder, producer, and volunteer, this ranking is deeply personal. It affirms the late nights spent supporting the children’s project—from adapting scripts to handling the logistics of book publishing.

I might be a busy volunteer, but as one of our students asked, “What is a bee’s favorite book?” The answer? “The Great Gats-bee!”

I might not have a lot of free time, but I sure make time for this great project!

An Endorsement of Educational Innovation: Our brave step to use tools like ChatGPT to refine the children’s ideas was a risk.

This ranking proves it was a smart, innovative move.In a sea of millions of passive listening experiences, the Johannesluisterbieb shines as an example of active learning, and that is what landed us among the global elite.

The Road Ahead:

Leveraging Our New Platform

Now that we have this incredible accreditation, the work doesn’t stop. The No. 68 ranking is a powerful tool to amplify the legacy of the Group 8 (2025) authors and inspire future classes.

My plan is to use this validation to do three things:

Attract Local Support: I can now tell potential partners that supporting our small, school-run project means supporting a Top 90 global education initiative that produces published books.

This prestige will help us secure grants and resources to continue this legacy for the next graduating class.

Celebrate the True Stars:

The students deserve the biggest celebration. They are now officially the co-creators of a globally-ranked podcast and published authors. This success will be a powerful reinforcement of their self-confidence and their love for literature.

Share Our Model: We will proudly share our model—the full creative cycle that turns a class of students into published authors.

This school-run model, built on the foundation of our 2018 library and fueled by the dedication of volunteers and students, can inspire other schools worldwide.

Conclusion:

Join Our Journey

This achievement is a collective victory—a testament to the creativity of the students, the foresight of the school, and the dedication of our community.

Thank you for listening, for believing in the Johannesluisterbieb, and for proving that when you give children the stage, they can become global authors.

Call to Action:

Support the Young Authors

You can help us continue this legacy project and support the future authors of the Johannesluisterbieb!

* See Our Ranking: View the official list that ranks us No. 68 on the Best Children Literature

Podcasts list:

Million Podcasts Ranking

Buy the Book (The Legacy Project): Purchase the play piece written and performed by the Group 8 (2025) students and support our future projects:

Brave New Books (Author Page): Khadija Louise Profile

* Amazon (EU): Our Book on Amazon

* Subscribe and Share: Search for “Johannesluisterbieb” on Spotify or your favorite podcast app to hear the children’s performances.

As-salamu alaykum.

It’s funny how something as simple as a greeting can carry so much weight. It’s more than just “hello” – it’s a prayer, a blessing, a way of spreading peace. It reminds me of the importance of connection, of community, of treating each other with kindness.

It’s something I try to be mindful of, a small act with big ripples.And speaking of big things coming from small acts… self-love.

It sounds so cliché, doesn’t it? But honestly, it’s been my lifeline. Especially these past eleven years.

Since the breakup, since… well, since everything fell apart. There were days, so many days, where just getting out of bed felt like climbing a mountain.

But I learned, slowly, painfully, that I had to fill my own cup before I could pour anything into my kids, into anyone.

You can’t give what you don’t have.

* It’s a big year.

The year the debt finally gets paid off. Eleven years. Eleven years of struggling, of juggling, of wondering how I was going to make it all work.

Co-parenting… Don’t even get me started. It’s been a rollercoaster, to say the least. But my kids… they’re my everything. My eldest is 21, alreadY a great man.

My youngest is 14, navigating her own world. And me well, life throws curveballs, doesn’t it? Divorce at that age… my heart ached but i am iver it now. But we’re all… okay.

More than okay. They’re happy, they’re healthy, they’re figuring things out. And that, that’s my biggest accomplishment.

That’s what makes all the struggles worthwhile.I’ve changed so much over these years. I’m not the same person I was back then.

The hurt, the anger… it’s faded. It’s not gone completely, but it doesn’t define me anymore. Changing companies was a huge step. Finding my “click,” my tribe, the people who just… get me.

That’s been a game-changer. It’s like finally finding where you belong. They accept me, flaws and all.

They celebrate my wins and hold me up when I stumble. And that, that’s what true friendship is.

That’s what makes this journey, this crazy, beautiful, messy journey, so incredibly worth it. Alhamdulillah.

My daughter and I had an amazing Monday night at the Melkweg in Amsterdam!

It was such a special “mama-daughter” night out, and seeing Omar Rudberg, her absolute favourite artist, perform was the perfect way to spend it.

She’s been a huge fan of his for ages, so this was a dream come true for her.I first heard of Omar when he was with FO&O, but it’s his solo stuff that my daughter loves.

His music is such a great mix of pop, R&B, and hip-hop – it’s so catchy!

The Melkweg was the ideal venue; it felt so intimate, which made the whole experience even better.

When Omar came on stage, the energy in the room just exploded! He’s such a dynamic performer, and he captivated the audience, especially my daughter.

Her face lit up the entire time. I was so excited when he sang “La Mesa” – everyone was singing and dancing along, and my daughter knew every single word. It was such a fun, shared moment.

And then, he did a cover of Rihanna’s “Rude Boy”! It was completely unexpected and amazing.

He put his spin on it, and it sounded fantastic.

The crowd went wild!Besides being super talented,

Omar is also really charismatic. He interacted with the crowd a lot, which made it feel like he was connecting with everyone.

It was clear how passionate he was about his music, and my daughter was just soaking it all in

.For my daughter and me, it was more than just a concert; it was a special memory we created together.

We laughed, we sang, and we just had an amazing time. Seeing Omar perform live, especially that “Rude Boy” cover, was a highlight for her, and it’s something we’ll both remember for a long time.

It was such a fantastic Monday night!

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