Message for small and coarse

"Tobias elsaber is not just an author, but a real multi-talent", explains christiane weib, head of the bamberg public library, to the young listeners. Around 25 elementary school students came to the parish hall of maria hilf on tuesday afternoon to hear tobias elsaber read from his book "linus lindbergh und die invasion der roboter" (linus lindbergh and the robot invasion) to be read aloud. The 45-year-old author has already been a boy band member, a freelance journalist for radio and even a software programmer, among other things.

Currently elsaber is on the road as an author, singer and songwriter. He writes novels for children and teenagers, even though he grew up without any children’s books and had to sit out the fourth grade because he had failed a german class. But in the meantime he finds writing and above all imagination "totally cool, because it offers more possibilities than reality. "Ever since i was a child, it has been my dream to live in the middle of stuttgart airport," the children sing loudly, he notes. For this reason, the main character of his book was also placed in the middle of an airport.

Literature and music

The children listen attentively to the adventurous tale of a young inventor’s son named linus lindbergh and his best friend majus 12, a fashion-loving robot. The author from stuttgart then picks up the ukulele to sing a song he wrote for his book series about linus lindbergh. "Because crazy is normal and normal is crazy", his voice resounds. "Turn the world upside down, follow the lindbergh way", the children sing along loudly.
Music is present in all his books, and he is always thrilled by the power of a song sung together, elsaber explains. The mixture of reading aloud and singing also goes down well with the children. "I think it was very nice", reports seven-year-old anna. "I heard about the books for the first time today and wanted to read on straight away at home", says eight-year-old wunderburg schoolboy mihnea.

"Meaningful digitalization

Also that it was part of a "world premiere", so to speak the children are happy. They were the first to hear elsaber read sections from his new book, which will not be published until the 22nd. February 2018 will be published. "Eden park – the ninth cube" the novel. It is about vincent, a young boy who suffers from pronounced screen allergy.

Tobias elsaber’s current book can be seen as an ironic and critical portrayal of our cellphone- and computer-driven society. He would like to see an end to the current digital madness. "Meaningful digitization is an issue that affects all generations", the author clarifies. Consequently, he wanted to use his books to draw the attention not only of young readers but also of their parents to the prevailing problems.
Delusions of modesty in elementary school, the addictive potential of social networks, and young "influencers-movements via youtube were not right and partly irresponsible. He feels that both children and parents have lost control of the digital world.

That’s why music is so close to his heart. "It shows that we are human beings and not machines. Creativity and imagination are what make us human", explains the stuttgart.
In addition to his lectures, the 45-year-old author also conducts writing workshops for children and young people. "Every one of us has the greatest computer in the world sitting on his neck", says tobias elsaber "and i show the kids how to use it."

Emma rolling