The poetry collection, titled Digital Footprint, was commissioned by the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ as part of the Explore the Internet & Govern It! interactive educational project. More than a simple book of poems, it serves as a guide to the world of digital safety, transforming complex concepts and important online security rules into engaging, easy-to-understand, and memorable stories.
Through accessible and entertaining verse, young readers learn how to protect personal information, recognize online scams, create and manage secure passwords, understand the importance of updating software and applications, communicate safely on the internet, maintain a healthy balance between online and offline activities, and other important things.
The poems were written by Nadezhda Kuznetsova, a renowned children’s poet and novelist, honorary member of Russia’s creative association of children’s authors, and president of the Nadezhda Foundation for the Support and Development of Children’s Literature. The book’s impressive illustrations were created by talented artist Inga Valeulina, while the publication was developed under the supervision of Viktoria Bunchuk, who oversees the Coordination Center’s social projects.
The book successfully combines creative storytelling with practical learning. In addition to entertaining poems and coloring pages, it features educational activities designed to develop logic, attention, and general knowledge while reinforcing digital safety concepts through play. Readers will also find a special guide for children and parents, titled If You’re Lost, the Internet Can Help You, along with current information about the Children’s Helpline and the Я-могу.дети mental health support app.
“I decided to engage in this project because I believe it addresses an issue of real importance: every kid should learn digital safety rules from an early age, just as they learn traffic rules,” Nadezhda Kuznetsova shared. “The task was both complex and demanding. In many ways, it was a true challenge for a poet – to explain serious and complicated topics in language that even very young children could understand and remember. It is important that children can recall these lessons when needed and make wise decisions. The result is a bright and engaging book that can be enjoyed for hours by children together with their parents and teachers. I hope it will provide many enjoyable reading moments while also serving as a valuable educational resource.”
Digital Footprint is available in two formats. The electronic edition can be accessed through the websites of the Coordination Center and the Explore the Internet project, as well as through the online library of the Center’s Academy. Printed copies are distributed free of charge at Coordination Center events. Upcoming meetings with the book’s author and editor will take place as part of the Summer Reading program at the Russian State Children’s Library.
The creators hope that Digital Footprint will become a useful resource for parents and educators seeking to create a safer online environment for children and to teach essential digital hygiene skills in an engaging and accessible way.
