Soneva and its partner Ultimate Library has announced the donation of a collection of 100 educational books and classic children’s literature to the Baa Atoll Education Centre and the Bahiyya Pre-School, in celebration of World Book Day.

On World Book Day, which is celebrated on March 7, Soneva Fushi’s Barefoot Bookseller will travel across the sea from the resort, in a boat full of books to Eydhafushi, the capital of the Baa atoll, to celebrate the event with local students and teachers. There will be games, literary workshops, guided reading, and much more as the Barefoot Bookseller installs the selected books, chosen and donated by Ultimate Library.

The collection of books going to Eydhafushi includes these titles: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll), Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 1 (Jeff Kinney), A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness), The Wreck of Zanzibar (Michael Morpurgo), Why the Whales Came (Michael Morpurgo), Sky Song (Abi Elphinstone), Cogheart (Peter Bunzl), Treasure Island (Louis Stevenson Robert), and The 13-Storey Treehouse (Andy Griffiths).

The donation is made under The Blackwell Community Libraries Project, which gives hotels the opportunity to nominate their chosen school, community centre or local library for Ultimate Library to donate 100 children’s books tailored to their needs.

Ultimate Library provides bespoke book collections and libraries for hotels, resorts, private residences, and retail spaces. Their personalised curating process takes care of every aspect from the design, supply, and installation. Each book collection is designed to inspire, educate and entertain, tailored to the property’s location and client interests. Ultimate Library believes that books add warmth, texture and soul to any project.

Through Ultimate Library, Soneva Fushi now has its own Barefoot Bookseller on the island who oversees the book collection. The Bookseller also provides a range of experiences for guests centred around literature. These include Creative Writing Classes; Bibliotherapy, where guests are introduced to books that expand their reading horizons; Academic Tutoring for ages 9-18; and The Barefoot Bookseller’s Literary Lecture, a presentation on the philosophy of fiction, imagination and artistic empathy which comes with a complimentary drink.

In 1995, the award-winning luxury resort Soneva Fushi set the standard for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways in the Maldives. Located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Soneva Fushi pairs Robinson Crusoe fantasy with intelligent luxury.

Sixty-two private villas with their own stretch of beach are hidden among dense foliage within touching distance of a pristine coral reef. Intuitive service is provided by Mr./Ms. Friday butlers.

Highlights include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, counting Saturn’s rings in the high-tech Observatory, the home-made chocolate and ice cream rooms, five hundred wines to choose from, six different restaurants and countless destination dining options. In November 2015, Soneva launched a floating villa concept, Soneva in Aqua, a treasure trove children’s Den and a multi-purpose facility encompasses a glass gallery, boutique and studio where guests can learn the art of glass blowing.

If the experiences are magical, the philosophy is simple: No news, no shoes. No pretensions either.