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Children’s books become popular

SHARJAH - Children and parents continue to enjoy the entertaining and educational titles from the Sharjah-based publishing house, Kalimat, at the on-going Sharjah International Book Fair.

The award-winning publisher of high-quality Arabic children’s books is continuing its drive to spread a love for reading of Arabic language and literature among children by offering book readings of some of its best-loved titles at this year’s fair.

Four of the readings – Mimi wa Oumouha Al Mashghoula (Mimi and her busy mum); Abir Ballan’s Batal Al Fouga’at (Bubble hero); Sahar Naja Mahfouz’s Huroufi Tarquis (Dancing letters) and Abdulaziz Al Musallam’s Dajaja Mithana (Mithana’s chicken), attracted a significant number of children and parents.

Speaking of the readings, Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat, said: “Kalimat is committed to fostering a love of Arabic literature among children by producing high-quality titles that are entertaining and engaging.

The success of these events has proved that both children and their parents appreciate what Kalimat has to offer.

This year, the selection of books deal with issues pertaining to the lives of children.

Huroufi Tarquis, for example, deals with the effects of visual problems, and how these can be solved by getting glasses, while Dajaja Mithana introduces children to the concept of empathy.”

In addition to the readings, Kalimat is hosting a range of entertaining and informative activities, including illustration workshops and a cookery demo on November 26. A book signing for its titles Zarafa Mylia (Mylia the Giraffe) and Huroufi Tarquis (Dancing letters) by author Sahar Naja Mahfouz, was also held on November 19 and it was a great success with children vying with each other to get their copies signed and to have their photos taken with the author.

The SIBF is an internationally recognised event, and is considered to be one of the most remarkable annual events in Sharjah.

Each year, more than 750 publishers from 42 nations welcome on average 400,000 visitors to the event, which aims to create an interest in reading among people, especially the younger generation, and to make quality books available at affordable prices.

Kalimat is the first publishing house in the UAE dedicated solely to publishing and distributing high-quality Arabic books for children aged upto to 16 years. With a portfolio of internationally acclaimed authors and illustrators, Kalimat’s extensive range of books highlights traditional Arabic culture alongside the modern challenges faced by today’s children, with the aims of engendering a life-long love of reading and Arabic literature among Arab children.-

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