RIGHTS CATALOGUE 2015

Transcription

kalimat Publishing
kalimat_books
kalimatbooks
RIGHTS CATALOGUE
2015
‘
Cover from the book:
The Dream Vendor
by author Mohanned Alakouse
and illustrator Agata Wojakowska
‘
Kalimat, leading Arabic publisher, was
launched in 2007 with the aim of sharing
stories among children across the globe,
giving them the opportunity to know a
glimpse of each other’s values and habits,
cultures and societies.
We travel through our books to regional
and international markets to nurture greater
compassion and cultural understanding
among future generations.
We thus believe that each and every book
should be presented as a piece of art,
offering readers an exceptional experience, a
stimulating journey that lies secretly within the
covers and is revealed between the pages.
Kalimat Rights Catalogue 2015
3
Table
of Co
ntent
s
0+ Years
pg 6-21
3+ Years
pg 22-57
6+ Years
pg 58-103
9+ Years
pg 86-97
You-1n1g7 Adults
pg 104
ge
erita
Culture and H
pg 118-137
Biographies
pg 138-181
4
5
0+
0+
0+
0+
+
0
6
7
Puppet Books
The puppet books set introduces 6 animals to toddlers through a finger puppet in which a child
could interact with. Each book is designed with a puppet protruding from every page to present
the keywords for its habitat, sound, food and name of its infant. These books were designed to
create a playful learning process through storytelling and movement since, for toddlers, interaction
with educational content could be a successful method for engaging their interest.
NEW
NEW
NEW
I am the Rooster
I am the Lion
I am the Frog
(Ana Al Deek)
(Ana Al Asad)
(Ana Al Difdaa)
Author: Bodour Al Qasimi
Illustrator: Muriel Abichaker
Subject: Early learning; animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-207-3
ISBN: 978-9948-20-205-9
ISBN: 978-9948-20-206-6
Binding: Puppet Book | 14 x 14 x 10 pages © 2013
Sold: Turkish-Nar Publication | English-Giro
8
9
Puppet Books
NEW
NEW
NEW
I am the Cow
I am the Horse
I am the Bird
(Ana Al Baqara)
(Ana Al Hisan)
(Ana Al Osfoor)
ISBN: 978-9948-20-204-2
ISBN: 978-9948-20-208-0
ISBN: 978-9948-20-209-7
10
11
12
13
Baby Books
A set of four rhyming baby books written as read aloud books for a baby. Each book focuses on a
specific activity in the day of a baby making it fun and interesting.
I Swim Like a Fish
One More Bite
I Play with Dad
It is Bedtime
(Asbah Kal Samaka)
(Asha Lukma)
(Alaab Maa Baba)
(Hayya Nam)
ْ
‫أشهى‬
‫ُل ْق َمة‬
‫ أنجيال نوربتليان‬:‫ فاطمة شرف الدين رسوم‬:‫نص‬
‫ اإلمارات العربية المتحدة‬،‫ الشارقة‬5995 .‫ب‬.‫ص‬
+97165730707 ‫ فاكس‬+97165733030 ‫هاتف‬
www.kalimat.ae :‫موقع إلكتروني‬
‫َم‬
ْ ‫َهيّا ن‬
ْ
‫أشهى‬
‫ل ُْقمَ ة‬
‫ب مع بابا‬
َ ‫أل‬
ُ ‫ْع‬
‫صدر أيضًا من‬
:‫هذه السلسلة‬
‫ فاطمة شرف الدين‬:‫نص‬
‫ أنجيال نوربتليان‬:‫رسوم‬
:‫صدر أيضًا من هذه السلسلة‬
‫أنجيال نوربتليان‬
‫فاطمة شرف‬
:‫الدين رسوم‬
:‫نص‬
َ ‫أل‬
ُ ‫ْع‬
‫ أنجيال نوربتليان‬:‫رسوم‬
ُ ‫أ ْل َع‬
:‫صدر أيضًا من هذه السلسلة‬
ْ
‫أشهى‬
‫ل ُْق َمة‬
‫السمَ َك ِة‬
َّ ‫َح َك‬
ُ ‫سب‬
ْ ‫َأ‬
‫السمَ َك ِة‬
َّ ‫َح َك‬
ُ ‫سب‬
ْ ‫َأ‬
3-0
‫سنوات‬
‫َم‬
‫َم‬
.2007 ‫ طبعة أولى‬.‫جميع حقوق الطبع والنشر محفوظة‬
.‫ال يسمح نسخ أي جزء من هذا الكتاب في أي شكل من األشكال دون إذن خطي مسبق من الناشر‬
‫ اإلمارات العربية المتحدة‬،‫الشارقة‬
‫ اإلمارات العربية المتحدة‬،‫الشارقة‬
‫جميع ح��ق��وق ال��ط��ب��ع والنشر‬
.2007 ‫ طبعة أولى‬.‫محف�وظة‬
‫ال يسمح نسخ أي ج��زء م��ن هذا‬
‫الكتاب في أي شكل من األشكال‬
.‫دون إذن خطي مسبق من الناشر‬
‫جميع ح��ق��وق ال��ط��ب��ع والنشر‬
.2007 ‫ طبعة أولى‬.‫محف�وظة‬
‫ال يسمح نسخ أي ج��زء م��ن هذا‬
‫الكتاب في أي شكل من األشكال‬
.‫دون إذن خطي مسبق من الناشر‬
w w w. k a l i m a t . a e
‫الس َم َك ِة‬
َّ ‫س َب ُح َك‬
ْ َ‫أ‬
BATHBOOK V4.indd 2-3
EATINGBOOK V2.indd 1-2
12/12/07 8:24:19 PM
w w w. k a l i m a t . a e
PLAYINGBOOK
V3.indd 2-3
12/12/07 8:31:35
PM
12/12/07 8:25:22 PM
Author: Fatima Sharafeddine
Illustrator: Angela Nurpetlian
Subject: Early learning-activities; baby books.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-594-7
ISBN: 978-9948-03-595-4
ISBN: 978-9948-03-592-3
ISBN: 978-9948-03-593-0
Binding: Board Book | 18 x 18 x 14 pages © 2007
Summary: The little baby boy describes his bath time
to the reader as he plays with his boat and rubber duck
while his mother washes him and dries him up with a
soft towel. I Swim Like a Fish is a colorful waterproof
book aiming to entice children to enjoy their bath time.
Summary: A baby boy is having one of his meals and
sharing it with the reader. He enjoys his mother’s flying
spoon and sounds while eating his food with delight.
One More Bite is a baby book made to accompany
toddlers
in their mealtimes and add some flavour to it.
Summary: A baby boy narrates how he and his dad
spend time together. His father tickles him, carries him
up, puts him down gently, kisses him and embraces
him. I Play with Dad describes the fun time the baby
boy has with his father during their playtime together.
Summary: A baby boy narrates how his parents put
him to sleep. His mom and dad embrace him, carry
him up, and very gently put him in bed. Time to Sleep
is a bedtime baby book that lulls children to sleep.
14
Age Group 0+
15
Cotton the Pussycat
(Al Qutta Qutna)
Author: Noura Al Noman
Illustrator: Rima Al Koussa
Subject: Animal story; pets; touch and feel.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-784-7
Summary:
A little girl tells toddlers about her best friend Cotton
the pussycat. She is white just like milk and snow.
Cotton follows her around all day to play and is then
fed and bathed.
Cotton the Pussycat illustrates a strong relationship
between a child and her cat and encourages the love
and care for pets.
16
17
Kiwi the Hedgehog
Mom is Always by My Side
( Al Kunfuth Kiwi )
(Mama Dawman Bijanibi)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Rima Al Koussa
Illustrator: Sandra Ghosn
Subject: Animal story; environment; green issues;
Subject: Family and home stories.
touch and feel.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-747-7
ISBN: 978-9948-157-830
Summary:
A group of children spot some brown leaves amongst
green ones on their treasure hunt. They shortly
discover that those are spikes belonging to a strange
creature. Mom explains that this creature is the
hedgehog and the children decide to keep it. Mom
refuses and explains that the hedgehog is a creature
from the wild that lives in the desert and should not be
kept confined with humans.
Summary:
A mother is always there to encourage her child to
overcome difficulties and share cherishable moments
as they grow up.
Mom is Always by My Side is a toddler book about a
mother’s bond with her child reassuring children that a
mother is always there to provide love and care.
Kiwi the Hedgehog introduces an animal from the wild
to toddlers demonstrating the love and respect for
nature that should be exhibited by individuals as they
come across wildlife.
18
Age Group 0+
19
Tweet Quack Moo
Where Shall I Sleep Now?
(Tweet Quack Moo)
(Ayna Anam Al An?)
َّ ‫صفو ٌر واحِ ٌد ي َُغ ِّر ُد يف أعْ ىل‬
‫الشجَ َر ِة‬
ْ ُ‫ع‬
... ‫تويت‬
Author: Rania Zbib Daher
Illustrator: Hassan Zahreddine
Illustrator: Danielle Kattar
Subject: Early learning-numbers and counting; early
‫الب َْك ِة‬
ْ ‫تان َت‬
ِ ‫سب‬
ِ ‫ب ََّط‬
ِ ‫َحان يف‬
... ‫ كواك‬... ‫كواك‬
Subject: Family and home stories;
learning-animals.
personal issues; anxiety.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-598-0
ISBN: 978-9948-15-050-3
Summary:
A toddler book that introduces the numbers 1 to 10
through 10 different animals and their sounds. Each
number is embossed to help the child trace its shape
and get familiar with it.
Summary:
Where can our narrator sleep if a purple alligator, a red
elephant, colourful butterflies, and a blue giraffe are
sleeping in bed? Using these imaginative excuses, the
narrator leaves the room to sleep next to mom, dad
and grandma.
Tweet Quack Moo is a playful read for children to
imitate animal sounds and count along their first set
of numbers.
20
َ ‫أ ْربَعُ ق‬
‫ليب‬
ِ َ‫ِططٍ َتبْحَ ُث عَ ِن الح‬
... ‫ مياو‬... ‫ مياو‬... ‫ مياو‬... ‫مياو‬
Where Shall I Sleep Now? is a light read depicting a
common behaviour of children and the funny excuses
they make in order to leave their room during
sleep time.
Age Group 0+
21
Manou
Colors in a Shop
(Murjan)
(Alwan Al Dukkan)
Author: Dareen Charafeddine
Illustrator: Christelle Hallal
Illustrator: Nicole Debbas
Subject: Early learning-numbers and counting; rhyming
Subject: Early learning-colours.
and word play books.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-607-4
ISBN: 978-9948-03-606-7
Summary:
One two, this is Manou; he is yellow and a very good
fellow. Manou, the friendly monkey, invites toddlers into
his world and teaches them how to count from 1 to 10
in a musical rhyming story.
22
Summary:
Uncle Ramadan’s shop has fruits of all colors. There
are yellow bananas, red apples, green grapes, and
brown dates.
Colors in a Shop is a board book introducing colors
through the fruits in uncle Ramadan’s shop.
Age Group 0+
23
3+
24
25
A Rocket to Space
(Saroukh Ela Al Fadaa)
Little Panda
NEW
NEW
(Al Panda Al Saghir)
Author: Rana Anani
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Hoda Haddadi
Subject: Early learning, school stories, rhyming.
Subject: Family and home stories,
animal stories, self-awareness.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-337-5
Binding: Paperback | 28 x 23 x 28 pages © 2014
ISBN: 978-9948-20-368-1
Summary:
A little boy dreams to build a colorful rocket with
round windows to travel with his brother to the
moon, watch earth from afar and visit space to learn
about the planets. The story is told in simple rhyming
language for children to enjoy reading it.
26
Summary:
It is now time for the little panda to become
independent from his mother who teaches him how to
eat bamboo, keep away from fire and climb tall trees.
However, the little panda is curious, and doesn’t listen
to his mother’s advice, until one day he finds himself
stuck between the hands of a hunter and learns not to
dismiss what his mother tells him.
Age Group 3+
27
Close to Home
(Qarib min Bayti)
NEW
Illustrator: Rebeca Luciani
Subject: Early learning, people and places.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-329-0
Binding: Hardcover | 24 x 34 x 24 pages © 2014
Summary:
A book written in a rhyming tone portraying beautiful
illustrations and information on the important
facilities around a neighborhood and the purpose of
having them.
28
29
Weekdays
(Ayam Al Osboua)
Topsy-Turvy
NEW
Author: Rola Chami Al Hoss and Rania Salim El Hage
Illustrator: Khaled Sadaka
Illustrator: Khaled Sadaka
Subject: Early learning, rhyming and word play books.
Subject: Family and home stories, humorous stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-338-2
ISBN: 978-9948--20-361-2
Summary:
The weekdays in this book are not your
ordinary weekdays, but involve strange, funny
and entertaining events through humorous
characters and a rhyming text.
Summary:
Dalia introduces the reader to her unique family
members who share atypical roles. A story that
changes the conventional portrait of a family and the
traditional role of a father, mother, grandfather and
other members.
30
NEW
(Raasan Ala Aqueb)
Age Group 3+
31
Who’s Teeth Do I Clean?
(Asnano Man Ounathif)
NEW
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Nour Bishouty and Abdulla Hakim
Subject: First experiences, early learning,
animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-213-4
Summary:
Through a game of hide and seek between a child and
animals who want to have their teeth brushed in the
proper way, the child gives a detailed description of fun
and appealing ways for teeth to stay bright and clean.
An original book on mouth hygiene for children.
32
33
Turn off the lights
(Atfie Al Anwar)
Goodbye Nana
NEW
Author: Maitha Al Khayat
Author: Marwa Al Aqroubi
Illustrator: Gustavo Aimar
Illustrator: Beatrice Costamagna
Subject: Animal stories, humorous stories.
Subject: Early learning, family and home stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-349-8
ISBN: 978-9948-22-335-1
Binding: Paperback | 22.5 x 25 x 24 pages © 2014
Summary:
Omar lives on a farm with lots of animals. When night
comes, Omar can’t sleep and tries to play with the
animals but their mothers refuse to wake them up.
Omar tells us the names of the baby animals and their
sounds. In the morning, he feels tired and wishes to
sleep but the baby animals want to play with him.
Summary:
Fatima is growing up now and it’s about time she lets
go of her pacifier, which she calls Nana. Her mother
gets an original idea using colorful balloons to help
Fatima do away with Nana. Goodbye Nana inspires
parents to come up with creative ideas to help their
children drop their pacifiers at their proper age.
34
NEW
(Wadaan Nana)
Age Group 3+
35
A Little Problem
Off to School
(Mushkela Sagheera)
(Ila Al Madrassah)
‫ستذهبان إىل‬
‫غدا‬
‫ران‬
ً !‫كبريان اآلن‬
ِ
ِ
ِ َ‫«لقد أصبحتُ ما كَ نْ غ‬
.‫ستلتقيان ِ ُبع ّلمتِ ُكما وبأوالدٍ كثريين من عُ ْم ِركُ ما‬
.‫المدرسة‬
ِ
ِّ ‫ فستحتاجا إىل‬،‫نشيطني يف الصباح‬
‫كل‬
‫باكرا حىت تكونا‬
ِ
ً ‫ناما‬
ِ
.‫عند الماسء‬
َ ‫» قالت لنا ماما‬.‫طاقَتِ ُكما يف المدرسة‬
Author: Rai Abdulal
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Sophie Burrows
Illustrator: Michele Standjofski
Subject: Emotions and self-esteem; family stories.
Subject: Early learning: First experiences;
.‫ننام لكنْ لم نَقْ ِد ْر‬
َ ‫حاولنا أن‬
ّ
ّ
ّ ‫أخذنا‬
.....‫ونفكر‬
‫ونفك ُر‬
‫نفك ُر‬
school stories; animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-247-9
ISBN: 978-9948-85-163-9
Summary:
A little girl has a big problem. She is the youngest
and the little one at home. Her wish is to become a
grownup like everyone around her in her family where
she can be able to sit in the front seat of a car, take a
bigger sum of pocket money, and not get interrupted
as she speaks. But as she ponders over her big
problem, she realises that being a grown up is not as
fun as she imagines.
Summary:
Two young kangaroos are worried about their first day
of school. They spend the whole night awake anxiously
thinking about school and everyone they’ll meet.They
imagine their teacher to be scary and the children to be
meanbullies. To their surprise, their anxiety completely
disappears when they get to school and see the fun
time they could have there.
A Little Problem brings to light a universal problem
little children experience amongst their older siblings
and singles out the beautiful advantages of being a
little child.
Off to School illustrates the common behavior of
panic and anxiety exhibited by children before going
to school and portrays the great educational and fun
environment that school provides.
36
Age Group 3+
37
By My Side
(Daeman Mae)
Author: Cathy Khattar
Subject: Animal stories; humorous stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-214-1
Summary:
A little bunny discovers a friend who is always by his
side. He explains how his friend follows him around,
gets to places before him, and pops out of his
shoe. Although the narrator may be a little bothered
sometimes, he still loves his friend dearly and considers
him his best friend for he is always by his side.
By My Side casts the shadow of our narrator into a
richly illustrated book and sheds light on how children
may interact with their shadows as they start to
discover them.
38
Age Group 3+
39
Baq Beeq the Chicken
Baq Beeq in the Farm
(Al Dajaja Baq Beeq)
(Al Dajaja Baq Beeq Fi Al Mazraa)
‫الدجاجة باق بيق‬
ّ
‫يف المزرعة‬
Front Cover
‫ رانيا زبيب ضاهر‬:‫قصة‬
‫ جويل أشقر‬:‫رسوم‬
Illustrator: Joelle Achkar
Subject: Emotions and self-esteem;
Subject: Emotions and self-esteem;
humorous stories, animal stories.
humorous stories, animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-051-0
ISBN: 978-9948-20-215-8
Summary:
Baq Beeq, the passionate chicken, dreams of running
away from the rooftop pen to live in a beautiful farm
with other animals. She finds the pen to be dull and
does not want to settle for this lifestyle forever. The
chickens around her object to these ideas and despite
their discouragement she remains determined to
pursue her goal. She manages to escape from the pen
and ends up in a farm just like she dreamt.
Summary:
Baq Beeq fulfils her dream and moves from the city
to a farm with lots of animals around. The chickens
in the pen find her behaviour strange and cannot
accept how different she is. The chickens on the farm
organize their daily lifestyle in a similar pattern and
find it unacceptable how Baq Beeq follows a different
pattern and spend her free time singing and dancing.
Baq Beeq soon gets rejected and becomes lonely and
miserable.
Baq Beeq the Chicken is the story of pursuit and
determination to follow ones goal despite the
opposition of others.
40
َ ‫ أم‬.ٍ‫رَحَّ بَتْ باق بيق بالدَّجاجات بسعاد ٍة كبرية‬
‫ْضتِ الدَّجاجاتُ وقتًا رائعًا‬
َ ،‫َم َع باق بيق وا ْعتَ َذرَتْ لها عن اإلساءة إليها ساب ًقا‬
‫ ويومًا‬.‫صدا َقتَها‬
َ ْ‫وطلَبَت‬
‫يوم زا َد َع َد ُد الحَ يواناتِ يف امل َ ْع َه ِد وجاءتْ ُك ُّل الدجاجاتِ باإلضاف ِة إىل‬
ٍ ‫َب ْع َد‬
َ
َ
.‫َصينة التي َب ِقيَتْ عىل َم ْو ِقفِها‬
‫َّجاجة ر‬
‫ ما عدا الد‬،‫الدّيكِ كوريكو‬
Baq Beeq in the Farm is part two of this series
highlighting the importance of respecting differences
and stresses on coexistence and acceptance of others.
Age Group 3+
41
My Feet
My Hands
(Qadamay)
(Yaday)
Illustrator: Loujaina Alassil
Subject: Early learning: senses; body and health.
Subject: Early learning: senses; body and health.
ISBN: 978-9948-85-771-6
ISBN: 978-9948-85-169-1
Summary:
My Feet is a toddler book about the wonderful things
our feet are able to do. Filled with enthusiasm, our
narrator describes to the reader what he does with his
feet like walk, jump, climb, dance, and hop. The book
is done in a way for the child to relate to the illustrations
and discover his/her feet with a similar enthusiasm as
the narrator’s.
Summary:
A baby boy narrates his fascination with his hands and
illustrates what he uses them for. He plays ball, grabs
apples, draws, brusheshis teeth, and reads hisbook.
42
My Hands describes to toddlers thebeautiful different
things they can do with their hands.
Age Group 3+
43
Lama’s Moon
I Dream
(Qamar Lama)
(Ahlum An Akoun)
Author: Abir Ballan
Subject: Picture book; fantasy and magical realism.
early learning-time and seasons.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-742-2
ISBN: 978-9948-15-133-3
Binding: Board Book | 21.5 x 19 x 18 pages © 2008
Summary:
Lama sees the moon from her bedroom window
almost every night. Mom explains toher the names
of the moon in its various shapes and colours. But
sometimes, the moon does not appear. Lama is
saddened by this fact and wonders where it goes. She
waits for it to be back and trusts that it will.
Lama’s Moon brings to light the characteristics of the
moon as portrayed in the Arab culture and the different
names given to it in its various stages.
44
Summary:
A little girl dreams of becoming different animals and
using their main qualities in her daily life.She would like
to be a butterfly to float unnoticed, a bird to fly and
soar high, a rabbit to jump borders and a lion to scare
whoever stands in her way.
I Dream brings the imagination of a child closer to an
illustrative context highlighting the major characteristics
of certain animals as seen from a child’s point of view.
Age Group 3+
45
From To
Candy Candy Candy
(Min Ila)
(Halwa...Halwa...Halwa..)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Nadine Al Khatib
Illustrator: Nadine Kaadan
Subject: Early learning; picture book.
Subject: Family and home stories; body and health.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-541-6
ISBN: 978-9948-15-054-1
Binding: Paperback | 18.5 x 16.5 x 28 pages © 2009
Summary:
Everything in the world around is formed from little
components joined together to create something
grand. From To is about the building blocks of things,
designed in a way to show a visual for the object with
a push-and-pull card that slides out exhibiting the main
component of that object.
Summary:
Candice loves candy! She can live on candy and
sweets daily and would love to have it for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. She describes her favourite sweets
in the narrative and infatuation with candy, cake and
ice cream. She soon learns what happens to Adam,
her neighbour, who also loves sweets just like her. He
gets cavities and goes to the dentist to have some
teeth fixed and others removed. Candice becomes
determined to avoid the consequences of this habit
and decides to change her diet completely.
From To is a toddler book that draws attention to the
components of grand things around us highlighting the
importance their foundation.
ُ
ِ ‫السكا ِك َر‬
!َ‫القاس َي َة َوالل ِّّي َنة‬
ّ ‫أ ِح ُّب‬
!َ‫الم َثلّ َثة‬
ُ ...َ‫الم ْستَطيلَة‬
ُ ...َ‫الم َربّ َعة‬
ُ ...َ‫َديرة‬
ُ
َ ‫الم ْست‬
.‫أُ ِح ُّبها َعلى َعصا ْأو َملْفو َف ًة َبو َر َق ٍة ال ِم َع ٍة‬
!‫َوبُها في فَمي‬
ِّ ‫أُذ‬
!‫ما ألَ ّذها‬
ُ
ِ ‫الم َثل‬
...ّ‫ بِالفانيال‬...‫ بالفراولة‬...‫ِالشوكوالَتة‬
ّ ‫ ب‬،َ‫األج َنب ِّية‬
ْ ‫الع َرب ِّي َة َو‬
َ ‫ّجات‬
ُ ‫أ ِح ُّب‬
ْ ‫أل َْعقُها بِلِساني! ما‬
!‫أط َي َبها‬
Candy Candy Candy raises awareness of the
consumption of sweets by children as it highlights the
consequences caused by this habit and encourages
healthy eating for a healthier life style.
46
Age Group 3+
47
How Much Do You Love Me?
Jude’s Fever
(Kam Tuhibbinani?)
(Hararat Jude)
Illustrator: Rasha Mounib Al Hakim
Subject: Family and home stories; relationship stories.
relationships stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-779-3
ISBN: 978-9948-03-741-5
Summary:
A child wishes to know how much his mother loves
him. In order to express her love, she compares it to
beautiful things around her in nature. She tells him that
her love is as big as the sea and all its waves together,
as grand as the sky, as enormous as the desert and as
massive as forests.
Summary:
Jude has a fever and has to stay home. In the
beginning she loves the attention she gets from her
mother, father, and relatives who bring her gifts.
However, after a couple of days she feels bored and
lonely as she thinks of all her friends enjoying their time
together at school. She realizes that getting sick is not
that much fun after all. She starts looking forward to
getting better and going back to school again.
How much do You Love Me? aims at reassuring
children about the unconditional love that a mother
feels for them.
48
Age Group 3+
49
Grandpa
Grandma
(Jaddi)
(Jaddati)
Subject: Family and home stories; relationship stories;
Subject: Family and home stories; relationship stories;
humorous stories.
humorous stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-781-6
ISBN: 978-9948-15-782-3
Summary:
A heart-warming story narrated by a little girl who is
infatuated with her grandfather’s humour and hilarious
habits. The little girl asks questions constantly and is
entertained with her grandpa’s comical replies.
Summary:
A lighthearted story narrated by a little girl who is
infatuated with her grandmother’s uniqueness and
strange hobby. Grandma is not like most grandmas;
she neither likes cooking nor baking! Instead, she
practices a hilarious hobby, which our little narrator
finds amusing.
Grandpa is a book highlighting the affectionate
relationship between a grandparent and
his grandchildren.
50
Grandma is a book highlighting the playful side
of grandparents and their strong bond with their
grandchildren despite the age difference.
Age Group 3+
51
Dad and I
Mom’s Job
(Ana Wa Baba)
(Wathifat Mama)
Author: Abir Ballan
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Hatem Aly
Subject: Family and home stories; animal stories;
relationship stories; humorous stories
relationships stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-776-2
ISBN: 978-9948-15-535-5
Binding: Hardcover | 27.5 x 20.5 x 24 pages © 2010
Summary:
A young boy enjoys his time with his father so much
and imagines himself and his dad as different animals
playing various games together. He imagines them as
monkeys climbing mountains, as sharks diving in the
deep, as lions roaring and polar bears in the snow.
Dad and I is the story of a boy who describes his love
for his father in a unique and imaginative way.
52
Summary:
Sarah watches people from her balcony walking in
town and heading to work. She wonders why her
mother does not go to work like the others. When she
asks her, she learns that her mother’s job is one of the
most important jobs in the world. She understands that
her mother is a cook, a teacher, a secretary, a singer, a
designer and a nurse.
Mom’s Job is a delicate book illustrating the pivotal and
diverse role of stay-at-home mothers, which tends to
be slightly overlooked in modern societies.
Age Group 3+
53
What’s in Mommy’s Tummy?
Professions
(Matha Fee Baten Mama?)
(Ashghal Wa Mihan)
Illustrator: Fadi Salame
Illustrator: Manal Haddadin
Subject: Family and home stories; personal and
Subject: Early learning; picture book.
social issues: sibling rivalry.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-045-9
ISBN: 978-9948-15-049-7
Summary:
Mommy’s tummy is getting bigger and rounder. My
little brother and I don’t understand why. We ask
mom many questions like, ‘what is in your tummy?
What is the baby doing there? How does it eat?’ After
explaining to us, we understand that a new baby girl or
boy will come into our lives soon. I would love it if the
baby were a baby girl I could play and share a room
with but my little brother is worried mommy would
leave him.
Summary:
This big book introduces different professions for kids
and is meant to be read aloud to a group of children.
It presents the photographer, soldier, carpenter, judge,
baker, painter, doctor, hairdresser, architect, farmer,
tailor and teacher.
Professions illustrates and lists several jobs for children
to understand and relate to what the grownups around
them do in their daily life.
What’s in Mommy’s Tummy? discloses some of the
questions asked by children during their mother’s
pregnancy and portrays a positive side of dealing with
the discomfort a child might feel in that phase.
54
Age Group 3+
55
Yasmina Series
(Silsilat Yasmina)
Not so Little Anymore
No Longer Afraid
The Shortest Haircut
The Simplest Knot
(Lam Aoud Saghira)
(La Akhafu)
(Qassa Wala Aqssar!)
(Rabta Wala Ashal)
Illustrator: Lena Merhej and Maya Chami
Illustrator: Lena Merhej
Subject: Family and home stories, self-awareness
and self-esteem.
and self-esteem.
and self-esteem.
and self-esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-755-2
ISBN: 978-9948-03-609-8
ISBN: 978-9948-15-536-2
ISBN: 978-9948-15-046-6
Summary: Yasmina receives a present in a huge box
from her mother. Her excitement soon fades when
she realizes that her present is not a toy but a strange
pot-like object. She wears it as a hat, puts her cat in
it to sleep, uses it as a plant pot and throws it thinking
it’s a flying saucer. She later realizes that it’s a potty and
tries hard to use it. Not so Little Anymore places the
potty in a humorous narrative helping toddlers relate to
Yasmina during their potty training period.
Summary: Several things around Yasmina make her
scared. She is afraid of the dark, loud noises, dogs
barking, and sleeping alone at night. All her fears
disappear with mom and dad’s constant presence
and reassurance. No Longer Afraid illustrates common
fears amongst toddlers and provides a comforting
resolution nurtured by the love and support
of parenthood.
Summary: Yasmina has a strand of hair that keeps
falling onto her forehead and bothering her. To solve
this problem, she gets a pair of scissors and decides
to give herself a haircut which ends up to be a disaster.
The Shortest Haircut is a humorous story about
common and risky behaviors that children may exhibit
without their parents’ authority and end up with results
backfiring at them in a comical manner.
Summary: Yasmina gets a new pair of shoes with laces
that she has no clue how to tie. Her mother helps her
whenever she wears the shoes or needs to tie the
laces again. However, Yasmina decides to learn how
to tie them herself and asks mom to show her how
to. The Simplest Knot visually illustrates how to tie
shoelaces and teaches pre-schoolers to depend on
themselves and learn to overcome difficulties without
relying heavily on their parents.
56
Age Group 3+
57
Zein Series
(Silsilat Zein)
What About Me?
I Can’t Sleep
I Miss Daddy
The Grownup’s Mystery
(Wa Ana?)
(La Akdir An Anam)
(Ashtaqu Ela Baba)
(Loghz Al Kibar)
Author: Abir Ballan
Author: Abir Ballan
Author: Abir Ballan
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Maya Fidawi
personal and social issues.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-744-6
ISBN: 978-9948-03-756-9
ISBN: 978-9948-03-739-2
ISBN: 978-9948-15-777-9
Summary: Zein’s mother just had twins. He starts to
feel left out and tries to regain his central position by
grabbing everyone’s attention around the house. What
about Me? tells the story of the elder child who faces
sentiments of jealousy and unsettlement when a new
sibling arrives into the family’s home by highlighting
how parents should understand their children and help
them get through this tough stage with utmost love
and care.
Summary: Zein says goodnight to mom and dad
and heads straight to bed as if it were the last thing
he is going to do. To his parents’ surprise this was
the beginning of a long night with Zein’s sleepless
adventures. He calls for mom and dad to play, go to
the toilet, drink water and get hugs because he can’t
sleep. His mother knows exactly how to help him fall
asleep and succeeds. I Can’t Sleep is a story parents
would easily relate to about their children’s behavior
and humorous excuses to get out of sleeping.
Summary: Zein misses his father the whole day and
calls him at work to try and get him to come earlier. He
misses his father most when he isn’t around to play
ball with him, when he’s not there to build sand castles
or when Zein can’t share his school stories with him.
He waits around all day, eats the cake, reads his book,
and counts the stars but dad doesn’t show up. I Miss
Daddy is the story of many children who are unhappy
about their parents’ jobs portraying the different ways
they try in order to keep them home and spend a
loving time with them.
Summary: Zein can’t sleep because of a question on
his mind. He wants to understand what grownups do
when children go to bed. He leads an investigation
with his siblings and executes various search plans
to solve this mystery. What they believe grownups do
never seems to be what they normally do and that
disappoints the children very much. The Grownup’s
Mystery is a humorous detective story demonstrating
that children imagine missing out on their parent’s
events at night while in reality grownups do mundane
and uneventful activities after children go to sleep.
58
Age Group 3+
59
6+
60
61
Falfoosh Lost his Memory
(Falfoosh Dayaa Thakiratahou)
NEW
Author: Rai Abdulal
Subject: Humorous stories, animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-333-7
Summary:
Falfoosh is hasty and distracted elephant who loses
everything including his memory in this story! His
friends innovate various ways to help him look for it and
find it. Falfoush Lost his Memory encourages children
to pay more attention and concentrate all the while
suggesting the importance of friendship in overcoming
hardships.
62
63
Salma’s Letters
(Rassael Salma)
The Shining Smile Inventor
NEW
NEW
(Sanii Al Ibtisamat Al Moudiaa)
Author: Sanaa Shabbani
Author: Rai Abdulal
Illustrator: Blanca Bk
Subject: Personal and social issues, family
and home stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-334-4
ISBN: 978-9948-20-362-9
Summary:
Mysterious letters surround Salma. She finds one tied
to a dove’s foot but grandpa doesn’t allow for her to
read it. She also finds a letter in her mother’s email and
one from a Martian on the kitchen counter. Salma gets
anxious all the while not knowing that her separated
parents are preparing a lovely surprise for her. Salma’s
Letters presents the idea for a child to accept divorce
and see the positive sides of it.
64
Summary:
Rashed is a high-spirited fun boy who is extremely shy
to smile with his crooked teeth. His mom decides that
he needs some braces. Between Rashed’s hesitation,
fears and constant visits to the dentist, he realizes
that his fears have no excuse after understanding
the mechanism of braces and how they enhance the
alignment of teeth and one’s smile.
Age Group 6+
65
Between Here and There
NEW
(Bayna Houna wa Hounak)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Jimena Tello
Subject: Personal and social issues,
family and home stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-332-0
Summary:
This is the story of a young boy with separated parents.
He narrates his boredom and frustration of traveling
between his father’s house and mother’s place. He
figures that building a house between his parents’
houses would be the best option. This story provides
an accepting and positive side of divorce and how the
child could deal with it.
66
67
68
69
My New Life
(Hayati Al Jadida)
Shamsa and Sushi
NEW
NEW
Shamsa Wal Sushi
Illustrator: Rocio Alejandro
Subject: First experiences, family and home stories.
personal and social issues, anxiety.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-372-8
ISBN: 978-9948-20-363-6
Summary:
The narrator of the story is surprised when she learns
her parents’ decision to move to another country
where her father gets a new job. The little narrator
refuses the idea of moving and is saddened by this
thought. Through her new neighbor, however, she
is able to get through this phase and realize that
change is actually healthy and adds richness to the
experiences in ones’ life.
70
Summary:
The story deals with the experience of a girl named
Shamsa who tries to eat sushi for the first time. The
story comically shows her reaction to how weird and
strange the taste of this food is as well as finding it
extremely unusual to use wooden sticks to eat it. She
finds that this episode is extremely interesting and
nauseating for the food is rubbery and prepared with
smelly raw fish. The story ends with Shamsa’s mother
clarifying to her that sushi is part of the Japanese
cuisine and that trying new things is always beneficial
despite one’s reaction to the experience.
Age Group 6+
71
The Dream Vendor
(Bae Al Ahlam)
NEW
Author: Mohanned Alakouse
Illustrator: Agata Wojakowska
Subject: Personal and social issues,
self-awareness, family and home stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-974-2
Summary:
The balloon vendor and his father sell their balloons
in the marketplace. The father gives his son a daily
fare which he keeps in an old sock. His son’s room is
filled with drawings of his dreams and in the middle of
his drawings, a wheelchair. When the peg-top vendor
starts to sell his colorful peg-tops next to the balloon
vendor, the children start buying fewer balloons, which
decreases the boy’s daily fare. He starts to erase a
dream after the other on his painting until nothing
else is left except the wheelchair. His mother tells him
a fairytale about a dream vendor which inspires him
to write a banner in the street that reads: Wait for
the Dream Vendor. This makes the children curious.
Whenever a child approaches him, the vendor would
ask what his dream is and would draw it on a balloon.
He would then inflate the balloon for the dream to grow
bigger. The boy succeeds in selling all his balloons and
receives a good amount of money. He uses his money
to buy the wheelchair for his mother.
72
73
Mimi Series
(Silsilat Mimi)
NEW
Mimi and the Piano
Mimi’s Hair
Mimi and her Busy Mom
‭ ‬(Mimi wal Piano)
(Shaer Mimi)
(Mimi Wa Oumouha Al Mashghoula)
Subject: Family and home storie; relationships stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-328-3
ISBN: 978-9948-15-044-2
ISBN: 978-9948-16-153-0
Summary:
Mimi is excited to learn playing the piano but feels
discouraged and less enthused as she struggles in
the process of learning. The problem is that she is
committed to a musical concert and has to perform.
Would her mother and teacher be able to convince her
of her talent and ability to play in the concert? Mimi and
the Piano is a story on practice and perseverance to
achieve one’s goals.
Summary:
Mimi hates her curly hair and wishes she had silky hair
just like princesses in stories, mermaids in the sea and
her friend Fatima in school. Mimi asks her mother to
get her a hair straightener but she refuses since Mimi’s
age is inappropriate. Mimi falls asleep and dreams that
her hair is straight but that no one seems to recognize
who she is. Her neighbour doesn’t know her; her best
friend doesn’t recognize her and her grandparents
have no idea who she is. However, everything changes
when rain falls and her hair becomes frizzy again.
Summary:
Mimi’s mom is a very busy pediatrician who doesn’t
get to spend enough time with Mimi.Whenever she
does, she feels tired and Mimi gets upset. Mimi then
demands she leaves her job to have all the energy
for her all day and therefore, her mother decides to
take the day off and make it a special fun day for
Mimi. Part of this day is to visit mom’s clinic for Mimi
to understand and see where mom works. Mimi feels
proud of her mom and wishes to become like her when
she grows up.
74
Age Group 6+
75
Long Live the Sheen
What’s the Color of Love?
(Ashat Al Sheen)
(Ma Howa Lawn Al Hobb?)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Rebeca Luciani
Subject: Emotions and self esteem; humorous stories;
Subject: Emotions and self esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-211-0
ISBN: 978-9948-440-59-8
Summary:
Shehab’s favourite letter is the sheen. It is the first letter
of his name and he loves it most. He is so attached to
the sheen that he only chooses to eat it among all the
alphabets in his noodle soup. He eventually loses the
letter sheen with the sound ‘sh’ and everything sounds
a little funny.
Long Live the Sheen illustrates a playful narrative for
lisping and the way to overcome it with practice.
76
Summary:
From a little girl’s point of view, love can be found in
many colors around and can vividly remind her of
moments she experiences with utmost warmth and
contentment. This book takes the reader through a
tranquil read where the narrator describes what each
color reminds her of.
What’s the Color of Love? presents colors through
heartwarming and colorful pages illustrated vibrantly to
express the sentiments of the little narrator.
Age Group 6+
77
My Pink Watch
Majd’s Box
(Saati Al Zahriya)
(Soundouk Majd)
Author: Kifah Bu Ali | Taqa Al Hamrany
Illustrator: Tarek Kamal
Illustrator: Betania Zacarias
Subject: Emotions and self esteem;
early learning-time; emotions and self esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-8516-2-2
ISBN: 978-9948-20-216-5
Summary:
Farah is ecstatic about her new pink watch! She
wears it on her wrist everywhere she goes but cannot
tell time on it. She asks everyone around to help her
understand the hands of the clock but they are all very
busy and cannot help her. Persistently, she decides to
take the matter into her own hands and find a smart
way to learn how to read the time on her own.
Summary:
Majd meets a nameless little boy who has no colors
and does not speak. She is unsettled by this and
decides to help the boy revive his colors and have an
identity. She starts by giving him a name and asking
him questions. The boy starts to interact with her and
slowly regains his identity.
My Pink Watch offers visuals for the reader to learn
about time and is accompanied by a detachable clock
for children to practice their time reading skills.
78
Majd’s Box poetically focuses attention on the
importance of children’s rights, their freedom of
expression, educational development and right to a
proper life.
Age Group 6+
79
Do Not Open this Book! / When I Open this Book
(La Taftahi Hatha Al Kitab / Heena Aftah Hatha Al Kitab)
Illustrator: Fereshteh Najafi
Subject: Adventure stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-210-3
Binding: Accordion | 25 x 17 x 30 pages © 2013
Summary:
This dual book, which contains a story on each side,
brings together the famous villains of classical fairytales
and then unfolds into a world of beauty and warmth.
The accordion shaped book flips between a world
where the child sees villains and is then asked to be
the hero of the book and rescue a frightened monster
from the rest of the villains, and into a world of hand
picked mint, fresh baked bread, burning incenses and
rose water. Do Not Open this Book! / When I open this
book is an exciting read for a child to trigger his/her
imagination and is designed antithetically to create a
playful read for both stories.
80
Age Group 6+
81
82
83
Red and Sweet
Grandma’s Cabbage
(Ahmar Helo)
(Malfoofat Jaddati)
.‫وتنظيف بيتِنا‬
‫العمل والم َْط ِبخ‬
ِ
ِ ‫ بي َن‬،‫ُت ْمضي أمي وقتَها‬
ُ‫ ولكنّني َأ ْكرَه‬، ٍ‫حب ما َتصْن ُع ُه لنا م ْن مأكوالتٍ وحلويات‬
ُّ ‫ُأ‬
َ ‫ال َمل‬
‫بب أنّني أكلتُ منه وأنا‬
ّ ‫ ُر َّبما يكو ُن‬.‫ ال ُأطي ُق ُه‬،‫ْفوف‬
ُ ‫الس‬
ُ‫تحاول‬
،ِ‫أ ّمي أ ْن تُجْ ِب َرني عىل تناولِه‬
.‫أحب َط ْع َم ُه‬
ّ ‫ ولم‬،‫صغي ٌر‬
َ ‫تعرف‬
ُ ‫ َفت َْست َْسلِ ُم وال‬.‫أستجيب‬
.‫كيف َتتَص َّر ُف‬
‫ولكنّني ال‬
ُ
‫ ولك ْن يف هذه الحال ِة سينادي‬،‫ «ممكن‬:‫ّقت أمي‬
ْ ‫ فعل‬،‫أجبت برسعة‬
ُ »‫«بطيخ؟‬
».‫البائ ُع عالسكني يا بطيييخخخخ‬
‫ لنتأكّ َد من لونِها األحم ِر وطعمِها‬،ٍ‫ ألنه يقط ُع لنا البطيخ َة بسكني‬،‫«آه نعم‬
.‫ أجبتُها‬،»‫اللذيذ‬
‫ سحر نجا محفوظ‬:‫نص‬
‫ حسان زهر الدين‬:‫رسوم‬
Author: Sahar Naja Mahfouz
Subject: Family and home stories; humorous stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-496-1
ISBN: 978-9948-20-495-4
Summary:
A little boy wakes up to the call of ‘red sweet red’ from
the morning vendor selling fruit. His curiosity increases
daily as he unsuccessfully tries to catch the vendor
and discover the red sweet fruit he has on his cart. He
plays a game with his mother to try and guess what the
vendor might be referring to. Perhaps it is watermelon,
strawberries or grapes.
Summary:
Cabbages smell bad and taste bad! The little boy hates
them. When he spends time with grandma he enjoys
every bit of going around her garden and looking at
her plants, he loves her food and fun stories. On a fun
weekend, the boy is surprised to see that grandma has
prepared cabbages for lunch and dinner. He is starving
and has no other options.
Set in the heart of a traditional Levantine street, Red
and Sweet introduces a playful venture to guess the
fruit with the narrator and understand the different
colloquial expressions used by Arab vendors.
Grandma’s Cabbage tells the story of every child who
was faced with the horrors of cabbages, peas, broccoli
or any other vegetable parents made them eat, and
suggests that what looks or smells bad can actually
taste delicious and is worth trying.
84
Age Group 6+
85
Hala the Inventor
The Bubble Hero
(Hala Al Mokhtariaa )
(Batal Al Fuqaat)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Carla Irusta
emotions and self esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-147-9
ISBN: 978-9948-20-222-6
Summary:
A little passionate inventor tries to find solutions for
problems in her surrounding. She finds that trash could
be taken out in a much more interesting way and that
flies should have an environment friendly solution to
be rid of. Her experiments have positive aims but do
not always end well. Salt falls on her father’s head
sometimes and at other times garbage gets splattered
on guests. This creates some conflict between her and
her parents.
Hala the Inventor is a story on children’s talents and the
patience and support which parents need to provide
for their children in order to push them towards fulfilling
their dreams successfully.
86
Summary:
This is a funny story of a little boy who is mystified by
his ability to break wind. ‘The bubbles ‘ in his tummy,
as he calls them, are strong enough to bring walls
down and keep everyone away. Flowers wrinkle as he
passes them and birds fly high up the sky to escape.
He tries to hide in places in order to let them out but
on a single day, he finds no place to hide. His tummy
bloats and looks like a helium balloon. He begins to
rise up from the ground until his mother saves him. This
incident makes him famous and he then starts to be
known as The Bubble Hero in the media.
The Bubble Hero is a humorous story tackling what
adults consider a taboo and children find amusing and
would easily relate to for the purpose of laughter and
entertainment.
Age Group 6+
87
Will the Park Gates be Shut?
The Magical Kiss
(Hal Toughlaq Abwab Al Hadiqa? )
(Al Qubla Al Sihriya!)
Author: Salma Koraytem
Illustrator: Hassan Manassrah
Illustrator: Maya Majdalani
emotions and self esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-070-0
ISBN: 978-9948-85-773-0
Summary:
The city decides to demolish its last park, a small green
space where the children of the neighbourhood play
and others exercise or relax. Kareem, the protagonist,
goes to the park to play soccer with his friends daily.
They all love the park very much and look forwarded
to spending time together there. One day, they see
a note on the park gate from the mayor prohibiting
access to the park and announcing its demolition date.
Kareem and his father organize a demonstration with
their townspeople to block the bulldozers intending to
transform the park into a parking lot.
Will the Park Gate be Shut encourages children
to express their opinions and speak up against
challenging situations without resorting to violence.
88
Summary:
Zeina, like most children, is petrified of the night and
hates going to sleep. She decides to never go to sleep
again and to keep her eyes wide open all day long. She
draws a huge sun, bigger than an elephant, and sticks
it on her bedroom window to scare the night away.
Soon she realizes that her plan is failing and her eyelids
feel heavy but she still resists sleeping and talks to
mom about her fears. She tells her about the witches,
wasps, worms and snakes that scare her and mom
gives her a magical recipe to disappear all those scary
things.
The Magical Kiss portrays children’s reluctance to sleep
and the parent’s pivotal role in lessening those fears by
being attentive and caring.
Age Group 6+
89
Rawan’s Hiccup
My Special Story
(Hazzouqat Rawan)
(Qissati Moumayaza)
Illustrator: Salam Al Hassan
relationship stories; self-awareness and self-esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-85-777-8
ISBN: 978-9948-85-165-3
Summary:
Rawan has a bad hiccup that just won’t stop. Her
mother tries all the tricks she knows to try and help
stop it but nothing seems to work. She gets her
sweetened water, an ice cube to suck on, she asks her
to hold her breath but all suggestions fail. Her brother
Bassem and his friend Fahd decide to hide and scare
Rawan in order to get rid of the stubborn hiccup. They
manage to scare Rawan and she screams in fear but
the boys panic and end up bumping their heads into
one another and cracking Rawan up.
Rawan’s Hiccup is a light and fun read about a
humorous hiccup that wouldn’t go away until a
dramatic scene happens.
90
Summary:
When Reem turns 8 her mother decides to tell her the
special story she’s been keeping from her for years.
Reem is excited but senses that her mother is anxious
and is about to tell her something serious. Reem
then learns that she was adopted at the ageof 2 and
experiences a mixture of feelings. She feels a bit sad
and wonders what her birth parents looked like but all
those feelings don’t compare to the feelings of love she
has for her nonbiological mother.
My Special Story unfolds the topic of adoption
delicately by accentuating the special bond between
the adopted child and the adopter parent despite the
nonbiological tie between them.
Age Group 6+
91
The Little Girl Who…
A Present for Me
(Al Bint Al Saghira Allati…)
(Hadiyya Lee)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Anke Rymenams
Subject: Family and home stories; personal issues-
Subject: Fantasy; environment and green issues.
self-awareness and self-esteem.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-539-3
ISBN: 978-9948-16-076-2
Summary:
A little girl with a big heart grows into a young lady
who constantly loves to give everything and please
everyone around her. As a little girl she gives her flute to
a shepherd, her scarf to a friend who was feeling cold,
her ball to a bored dog and her green hat to a bald
man to protect his head from the sun. As a young lady,
she works in the bakery with her father to make him
happy, marries a man her mom chooses to please her
and works with her husband on the farm daily to help
him out. She spends most of her life making people
happier and putting them as a priority. She suddenly
realises that she has never thought about herself and
her needs and decides to change that.
Summary:
Rani receives a big black car as a present on his
birthday. He imagines his car to contain magic
buttons that would transform the car and take him to
interesting places. Rani daily learns something about
the environment from television, the radio, the Internet,
books and magazines. The environment has been
polluted, there are endangered species around the
world, forests and turning into deserts and the ozone
layer has a big hole. Therefore, Rani decides to use his
car to travel and make the world a better place.
A Present for Me is a brilliant book for environmental
awareness and the current issues our world faces due
to pollution and contamination.
The Little Girl Who…focuses on sharing and being
generous within boundaries which help in preserving
self-esteem and attending to one’s own needs.
92
Age Group 6+
93
I love My World
The Traveling Suitcase
(Ouhibou Alami)
(Al Haqiba Al Mousafira!)
Author: Kifah Bu Ali
Illustrator: Betania Zacarias
Subject: Personal and social issues-disability
and special needs.
ISBN: 978-9948-85-117-2
ISBN: 978-9948-16-391-6
Summary:
The special narrator in this story tells us about his silent
world. He explains that he sometimes feels lonely and
excluded but that there are many things that he enjoys
in his world. He describes his most joyful moments
with his cat, parents, and friends.
I Love My World is an intimate story introducing the
idea of the hearing impaired through a warm style of
writing and illustrations.
94
Summary:
Something strange is happening at Lina’s home.
Things disappear around the house and Lina, the main
character is nowhere to be found. After discovering
a trail, her parents find her on the balcony trying to
close a big suitcase she had already packed with items
from around the house. She has decided to run away
because her parents are too busy to listen to her story.
She certainly grabs their attention with this episode and
is finally able to share her story with them.
The Traveling Suitcase uncovers the strange and
comical behaviour children would exhibit in order to
get attention from their parents while highlighting the
importance of being attentive to children’s needs.
Age Group 6+
95
Rasheed Series
(Silsilat Rasheed)
My Bike
I Have an Appointment
Everything is New
(Darrajati)
(Andi Mawouid)
(Koul Shay Jadid)
‫ِع ْندي َم ْو ِع ٌد‬
‫ دار كلمات‬:‫إصدار‬
‫ مايا فداوي‬:‫رسوم‬
Subject: Family and home stories; first experiences.
Subject: Family and home stories; first experiences.
Subject: Family and home stories; first experiences;
ISBN: 978-9948-15-775-5
ISBN: 978-9948-03-737-8
Summary: Rasheed is excited about his new bike and
cannot wait to learn how to ride it. Instead of waiting
for his mom to teach him, Rasheed tries to ride the
bike but ends up falling and hurting his knee. The next
day, his mother teaches him the rules of riding a bike
then the techniques of riding it. She supports him until
he gains enough confidence to ride on his own.
Summary: Rashid is anxious about his upcoming visit
to the doctor. He keeps wondering what the doctor
would look like and what he would do to him. He
also learns that he will be receiving a vaccination and
worries about the pain which would result due to it.
school stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-85-167-7
My Bike is a story encouraging children to learn new
things with enough patience and perseverance that
lead to success.
96
I Have an Appointment depicts a common scenario
that kids deal with anxiously and provides an alternative
positive side to help children overcome their fears for
the greater good.
Summary: Rasheed’s parents decide to move him to
a new and better school. Rasheed however, is very
anxious about a number of things; will his old friends
forget him? Will he make new friends in the new
school? What if the new teacher and the children are
mean? Rasheed then goes with his mother to visit
the new school and surprisingly, his anxiety turns into
enthusiasm. He finds his classroom very exciting and
meets a new boy right away and befriends him.
Everything is New is a story designed to encourage
children to accept change and see the positive side of
new beginnings.
Age Group 6+
97
Better than Bananas
Melia the Giraffe
(Atyab Min Al Mawz)
(Al Zarafa Melia)
Illustrator: Danielle Kattar | Yousuf Helou
Subject: Animal stories; self-awareness and
Subject: Animal stories; personal and social issues;
self-esteem; relationships.
self-awareness and self-esteem; relationships stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-074-8
ISBN: 978-9948-16-157-8
Summary:
Sammour is a little monkey who loves one thing more
than bananas and that is making new friends. His
only concern is that different animals won’t befriend
him because he looks different and so to befriend the
peacocks, he attaches painted tree leaves on his tail,
and to befriend the deer he sticks tree branches for
antler. His plan to look like elephants fails and teaches
him that being himself is a better way to make new
friends.
Summary:
Melia, a sad and lonely giraffe, lives on a farm where
other animals reject her for her different looks. She
hates her long neck and spotted skin and finds that
she doesn’t fit amongst the others. One day, when a
little lamb is lost around the farm, Melia realizes that her
long neck helps her rescue the lost lamb and returns
him back to his family.
Better than Bananas is a book that reinforces the idea
of self-love and acceptance of identity and how in
doing so one receives love in abundance.
98
Melia the Giraffe focuses on the importance of
accepting and loving oneself where strengthening selfesteem leads to becoming a proud useful individual in
society.
Age Group 6+
99
Dancing Letters
The Ballerina
(Huroufi Tarqus)
(Najmat Al Ballet Al Saghira!)
Author: Abir Ballan
Illustrator: Nour Bishouty
Subject: Family and home stories; self-awareness
and self-esteem; humorous stories; first experiences.
self-esteem; dance ballet.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-156-1
ISBN: 978-9948-15-533-1
Summary:
A boy sees dancing letters everywhere he goes. He
finds them entertaining and constantly creates a beat
in his head to go with the rhythm of the dances he
sees. With time, these letters start to give him a hard
time and cause him a strong headache. His grades
are affected tremendously and he is unable to solve
his homework or concentrate in class. He doesn’t
know what to and who to tell until one day his father
realizes that he’s got a problem. He takes him to the
optometrist for an eye check up where he gets a
prescription for eyeglasses. His letters stop dancing
and his grades go up again.
Summary:
Raneen longs to learn ballet more than anything
else in the world. She watches the ballet show on
televesion and finds the ballerinas to be very elegant
and beautiful. Nevertheless, on enrolling in ballet
class, she finds it tough to follow the teacher’s steps
and constantly falls and hurts herself. She becomes
infuriarated because she sees that she is the only one
who cannot do the moves in class and is tempted to
drop out.She rants to her mother and decides to give
up on her dream of dancing.Raneem’s parents, on the
other hand, gently encourage her to continue with her
lessons and help her practice to regain the confidence
she needs in order to pursue her ambition.
Dancing Letters represents the problems of eyesight
for little children and their inability to understand the
problem and highlights the importance for caretakers
to pay attention to the matter and solve it instantly.
100
The Ballerina teaches the value of perseverance to
children and emphazises that determination is the way
to fulfil one’s dream.
Age Group 6+
101
If I were a Bird
A New Machine at Home
(Law Kuntu Taeran)
(Fee Baytina Ala Jadida)
Illustrator: Amal Karzai
Illustrator: Nour Bishouty and Abdulla Hakim
Subject: Family and home stories, first experiences,
social issues: war and conflict issues.
science and technology.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-145-6
ISBN: 978-9948-16-152-3
Summary:
A boy wishes to be a bird in order to fly to the other
side of the wall and see the home he was forced to
leave from. He asks questions to understand why his
family and their neighbours were forced out of their
homes to live in unfinished houses surrounded by
a wall.
Summary:
There is a new machine at home and the little narrator
has no idea what it is. She sees dad fiddling with its
many wires and taking a long time to install it. When
they all learn how to use it, they take turns and do
different things with it. The narrator gets very excited
on her turn and uses it to write, sketch, add, subtract,
listen to songs, draw and paint.
If I were a Bird encapsulates the innocence of children
in the face of war’s occupation, separation walls and
injustice bringing to light a strand of hope to hold on to.
102
A New Machine at Home presents the computer
through an illustrated rhyming story portraying its
moderate and positive usages which could be utilized
as a learning tool for everyone.
Age Group 6+
103
I Would Love to Eat the Moon
Grandma and the Moon
(Uridou An Akul Al Qamar)
(Jaddati Wal Qamar)
َ ‫َج َّد تي َو‬
‫الق َم ُر‬
‫ مايا فداوي‬:‫رسوم‬
Illustrator: Maya Majdalani
Subject: Family and home stories; self-awareness
Subject: Family and home stories; personal and social
and self-esteem, science.
issues; death and bereavement.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-155-4
ISBN: 978-9948-03-738-5
Summary:
Once upon a time, Hala wishes to eat the moon
because of how round and tasty it appears to be.
It reminds her of a yummy bun. The next day, she is
surprised to see that the moon has grown smaller in
size and believes she had eaten it during her sleep.
To hide this, she creates circle cutouts of papers and
hangs them on all the windows of the house, which
in turn puzzles her mother. After a good talk with her
mom, she learns the faces of the moon and is
relieved forever.
Summary:
The little narrator misses her grandma wholeheartedly
and finds comfort in confiding her reminiscence to the
moon. She goes on evening walks with mom and sings
a song to the moon feeling a closeness to her grandma
and where she imagines her house to be.
Grandma and the Moon touches lightly on the topic
of death and how a child imagines or deals with it by
helping a child relate to the reality of death by finding a
positive strength to understand and accept it.
I Would Love to Eat the Moon tells the humorous tale
of a little girl who panics thinking she ate the moon,
and explains the faces of the moon with a lighthearted
illustrative narrative.
104
Age Group 6+
105
Grandpa’s Donkey
My Left Hand and I
(Himar Jaddi)
(Ana Wa Yadi Al Yusra)
‫أنا و َيدي ال ُي ْسرى‬
‫ رضا أبو زين الدين‬:‫نص‬
‫ سمر زيادة‬:‫رسوم‬
Author: Rida Abouzeineddine
Illustrator: Samar Ziade
Subject: Animal stories; humorous stories.
Subject: Self-awareness and self-esteem; true stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-780-9
ISBN: 978-9948-03-752-1
Binding: Hardcover | 27 x 22.5 x 36 pages © 2010
Summary:
Grandpa has a very special donkey called Sadoon
on his farm. Sadoon was the first animal he brought
to the farm and the most who has helped him out
when he was younger and stronger. Sadoon is old
now and spends his time resting, braying and singing.
He usually sings at early morning and early evening
time. One day, the animals on the farm tell Sadoon off
and demand that he stops his annoying singing. This
saddens Sadoon for it is the first time he is screamed
at. He stops his singing, moves away and speaks to
no one. They later realize that when the singing stops
grandpa doesn’t show up for the animals’ feeding time
any longer.
Summary:
My Left Hand and I is the comical story of a lefthanded boy who narrates his experience with his left
hand and the humorous incidents that resulted due to
it. He usually spills things on people, mess his friend’s
drawings and bump into others with his left hand. He
believes his left hand misbehaves. When he tries to
use his right hand he paints hideous paintings and
makes some funny hairdos. With time he adapts to his
left-handed gift and uses it to become a successful
architect.
My Left Hand and I is a comical and light-hearted
story for kids to understand and relate to left-handed
individuals around them.
Grandpa’s Donkey points to the importance of each
individual in a society and how the members should
appreciate and value one another by emphasizing the
values of loyalty and gratitude.
106
Age Group 6+
107
Activity Book Series
(Silsilat Kam Ana!)
Oh, Am I Hungry!
Oh, Am I Thirsty!
Oh, Am I Bored!
(Kam Ana Jaie!)
(Kam Ana Atshan)
(Kam Ashaour Bil Malal)
Illustrator: Hiba Farran
Subject: Activity books.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-158-5
ISBN: 978-9948-20-684-2
ISBN: 978-9948-85-118-9
Summary: Oh, Am I Hungry! is a humorous activity
book narrated by a little boy who feels very hungry
on his way back home from school and imagines
the world around him as his favorite food. He draws
references from shapes around him and relates them
to similar shapes of food he would love to devour. The
story is made into an interactive space where a child
could create his/her own world, aiming to stimulate
imagination and creativity.
Summary: Oh, Am I Thirsty is an amusing activity
book narrated by a thirsty boy who is playing in the
garden under the hot sun and imagining the world
as his favorite drinks. He imagines a giant bowl
of milk, chocolate fountains, cocktail juice boxes
and strawberry milk taps.The story is made into an
interactive space for children to color along as the boy
describes his imaginative journey.
Summary: Oh, Am I Bored! is a humorous activity book
narrated by a bored boy, on his way back home from
school, who imagines himself on great adventures.
He imagines being a monkey in a jungle, an astronaut
in space and a flying bird. He also wishes to explore
mysterious caves and dive undersea to swim with
colorful fish. The story is made into an interactive space
where children could create cutouts and color the story
as the boy describes his imaginative journey.
108
109
9+
110
Age Group 9+
111
Alia and the Blue Bird
(Alia wal Osfoora Al Zarqaa)
Friends Forever
NEW
(Asdiqaa Ela Al Abad)
Illustrator: Diala Zada
Illustrator: Diala Zada
ISBN: 978-9948-22-327-6
ISBN: 978-9948-20-212-7
Summary:
Alia is ecstatic when chosen to participate in the race
and dreams of winning first place, which grants her a
trip to watch the Olympics.
A story dealing with accepting sudden changes due
to external circumstances which in return would be
positive and fruitful.
Summary:
Alia believes that Hind, the new student, is getting all
the attention at school. Alia gets worried when Hanaa,
her best friend, befriends Hind.
112
Friends Forever portrays the concept of jealousy
amongst friends and highlights the importance of
removing prejudices against others and living in
harmony with everyone.
Age Group 9+
113
The Mystery of the 9th Floor
(Loghz Al Tabiq Al Tasiaa)
Sara’s Moneybox
NEW
(Hassalat Sara)
Illustrator: Pascale Hares
Subject: Personal and social issues, special needs.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-336-8
ISBN: 978-9948-85-772-3
Binding: Paperback | 18.5 x 13.5x 78 pages © 2012
Summary:
Hosam faces difficulties in learning and reading where
he constantly fails his 5th grade classes and starts to
feel that school repels him. He decides to work in the
grocery store as a delivery guy until he meets teacher
Nazek who lives close by. He goes to drop her order
but feels ashamed when he is unable to read the
address on the paper given to him. Teacher Nazek
finds out and invests her time to help Hosam acquire a
love for reading and go back to school.
Summary:
Sara decides to break open her moneybox and buy
new things. She counts her money and starts to think
of all the things she would like to buy. Her classmate
buys a new pair of shoes that Sara falls in love with
and decides to buy like with her money. After a couple
of incidences, Sara buys her grandma a blender she
needs, a game for her brother a scarf for her father and
a pair of shoes to show off in school. After she buys
all the stuff, she spots a pretty pink laptop and falls in
love with it automatically. She counts her money and
realizes she can’t afford to buy it. She gets very upset
and regrets buying all the stuff especially the shoes
since she only bought them to show off.
Sara’s Moneybox teaches children the importance of
giving all the while by being patient and moderate in
spending.
114
Age Group 9+
115
Ibn Battouta
Avicenna
(Ibn Battouta)
(Ibn Sina)
Illustrator: Intelaq Mohammed Ali
Illustrator: Intelaq Mohammed Ali
Subject: People and places; biographies; true story;
Subject: People and places; biographies; true story;
history and the past.
history and the past.
ISBN: 978-9948-15-538-6
ISBN: 978-9948-8516-1-5
Summary:
Ibn Battouta spent around 30 years of his life traveling
around the world, encountering different figures and
learning about cultures and traditions. His journey
started at the age of 21 where he decided to head to
Mecca for pilgrimage. He continued on to Jerusalem,
Persia, Iraq, Yemen, Ethiopia, Mogadishu, India, and
several other countries and returned home to Morocco
at the age of 50. Ibn Battouta worked in several
professions during his travels and left a great book
behind. His book uncovers details about his journeys
around the world narrating his experiences with various
figures and cultures.
Summary:
Since early childhood, Avicenna had access to
the best instructors of his time. He soon exhibited
brilliant talents and excelled in many fields, namely
medicine. He spent his life travelling, treating patients,
researching, seeking knowledge, and noting down his
discoveries. Avicenna wrote new theories for physics,
chemistry, astronomy, and education and left behind
his most important book The Canon of Medicine,
which was translated to several languages and taught
in the Islamic world and in Europe till the beginning of
the 19th century.
The children book edition Ibn Battouta, unfolds the
world of non-fiction for children through simplified
narration and visual aids to help make history a much
more enjoyable topic for them.
116
Avicenna narrates a non-fiction tale for children
through a comprehensible narrative and illustrations
to make the subject of history a much more enjoyable
topic for them.
Age Group 9+
117
The Gold Skull
(Al Jumjuma Al Thahabiya)
Author: Nabil Salem
Subject: Adventure stories; family and home stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-219-6
Summary:
Assem gets lost in a forest ruled by a witch. She forces
him to get her a gold skull from his grandfather’s
room who had recently passed away. Assem uses
his wit and courage to complete the task along with
receiving advice from his grandfather’s voice to regain
his freedom and achieve his goal. The Gold Skull is
an adventure in the world of witches and ghost voices
with a young protagonist who portrays the spirit of
courage and perseverance to complete his mission
successfully.
118
Age Group 9+
119
Kalila Wa Dimna Series
(Silsilat Kalila Wa Dimna)
The Jar of Honey and Ghee
The Fool and the Knave
A Trip in Kuku’s Beak
(Jarrat Al Samn Wal Asal)
(Al Mughafal Wal Khabith)
(Rihla Fee Minkad Kuku)
Author: Samar Mahfouz Barraj
Subject: Traditional stories; classic fiction.
Subject: Traditional stories; animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-746-0
ISBN: 978-9948-03-745-3
ISBN: 978-9948-03-758-3
Summary: Salem is a jobless man whos pends most of
his time in bed while his generous neighbor sends him
honey and ghee daily from his farm. He eats a bit of it
and saves the rest in a jar. One day, when he discovers
that the jar is full, he thinks of selling it to become rich
and live his dream.Excited with this idea, he starts
dancing around with his caneand accidentally breaks
the jar.
Summary: Sahyan, a naïve fool, and Daryan, a wicked
knave are partners in a textile trading business. Their
business is successful and allows them to save
enough money to go back to their hometowns. Daryan
suggests that they bury their money in a chest box
under a pine tree and dig it out whenever they needed
money. This plan prompts Daryan to cheat Sahyan
out of his money share and take it all for himself by
unearthing the box late at night. Daryan’s plan fails and
Sahyan ends up earning the whole amount of money
as a reward by the mayor.
Summary: Kuku, the old hungry bird, stares at a pond
filled with delicious fish daily. He wishes to eat some of
them but his body is no longer fit and he is just not as
fast as he used to be. The fish swim very freely in his
presence because he is not even a source of threat to
them anymore. One day, Kuku gets a treacherous idea
that enables him to have two fish daily from the pond.
The Jar of Honey and Ghee portrays that the risks of
depending on outside factors are high; meanwhile, that
being independent is the best way to achieve one’s
own goals.
120
A Trip in Kuku’s Beak sheds light on the downfall
resulting due to acts of treachery and aims at instilling a
sense of rightness in today’s youth.
The Fool and the Knave instills the morals aiming to
impart the right values to children and highlights that
being good will prevail at the end.
Age Group 9+
121
Kalila Wa Dimna Series
(Silsilat Kalila Wa Dimna)
Help me Help you
A Fisherman’s Tale
The Rabbit and the King of Elephants
(Saidni Ousaiduk )
(Hikayat Sayyad Samak)
(Al Arnabu Wa Malik Al Fiyala)
Author: Samar Mahfouz Barraj
Subject: Traditional stories; animal stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-03-740-8
ISBN: 978-9948-03-750-7
ISBN: 978-9948-03-759-0
Summary: Roomy and Freydoun are the classic cat
and rat story of the chase. One day, Roomy the cat is
stuck in a fisherman’s net and is unable to free himself.
Freydoun finds this to be an opportunity to poke fun at
Roomy and enjoy moments of freedom. Few seconds
later, two of his other enemies arrive at the scene and
become a threat on his life. Freydoun makes a deal
with Roomy in order to save both their lives.
Summary: Raji, a well-built fisherman, goes out to sea
to catch fish daily. One day, a whale gets caught in his
net, but as he tries to pull it onto his boat, he spots an
oyster and is struck by the conflict of making a decision
between letting go of his big fish and catching the
oyster. He imagines finding a pearl he could sell for very
good money but also worries that the oyster carries
none. Inspired by the classical tales of Kalila Wa Dimna,
Summary: A herd of elephants arrive at the land of the
rabbits and disrupt their lives. They drink from their
water reservoir and take over the place. The rabbits are
afraid to get out from their burrows and get crushed
under their feet. They gather and most rabbits decide
to run away except the intelligent Fairuz, she has a
great idea to get rid of the elephants forever.
Help Me Help You highlights the ties that evolve
between enemies who suddenly find themselves with a
common interest and demonstrates how these bonds
are strengthened in the face of danger.
A Fisherman’s Tale exemplifies life’s difficult decisions
in this symbolic narrative and strengthens the idea of
accepting all consequences of those decisions without
sorrow or regret.
122
The Rabbit and the King of Elephants emphasizes
the importance of handling situations in a patient and
strategic manner to resolve problems efficiently.
Age Group 9+
123
Culture and Heritage
124
125
The Prince of the Seas
(Amir Al Bihar)
The Clean Dirham
NEW
NEW
(Al Dirham Al Nathif)
Author: Abdulaziz Al Musallam
Author: Rai Abdulal
Illustrator: Nasim Abaeian
Subject: Traditional, heritage, fantasy and fables.
traditional and heritage stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-22-325-2
ISBN: 978-9948-20-365-0
Summary:
A folk fairytale from the UAE about the story of a poor
fisherman who is unable to catch fish for days until the
sea genie appears to him to ask for the fisherman’s
young daughter’s hand for marriage.
In return, the genie would grant him a future without
poverty or hunger.
This story suggests the concept of sacrifice and
acceptance through a charming tale of imagination.
126
Summary:
A story narrated by a dirham about its journey and
adventure until it reaches Laila’s moneybox. It talks
about freedom and its desire to leave the moneybox
and move from one hand to the other under one
condition, which is to stay clean. The dirham is always
so happy to make someone happy so how does Laila
make its dream come true?
127
Ramadan in UAE
(Ramadan Fee Al Emarat)
NEW
Illustrator: Estrellita Caracol
Subject: Traditional and heritage stories,
ISBN: 978-9948-20-371-1
Summary:
This story deals with the customs and traditions
practiced by Emiratis in the holy month of Ramadan.
128
129
Finger Games
Fanteer the Fluffy Flamingo
(Alaab Al Asabea)
(Fanteer..Al Flamingo Al Manfoosh)
Author: Mona Al Hamadi
Author: Noura Abbas Al Khoori
Illustrator: Nasser Nasrallah
Illustrator: Shaima Al Malik
Subject: Early learning-numbers and counting;
Subject: Animal stories; family and home stories.
traditional heritage stories.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-248-6
ISBN: 978-9948-16-073-1
Summary:
A collection of finger games with a variety of topics
designed to teach toddlers basic concepts related to
the Emirati and Islamic culture.
Finger Games is an interactive book that invites
toddlers to participate in singing and making relevant
finger moves and hand gestures.
Summary:
The fluffy, flashy pink flamingo, Fanteer, is lost on an
island after unintentionally drifting afar from mom and
dad. His excitement on the island carries him away
and he ends up alone feeling anxious and petrified. His
imagination increases his anxiety where he starts to
envision scary things around but soon his parents spot
him and Fanteer is overjoyed and relived.
Fanteer the Fluffy Flamingo is a story many children
would relate to, aiming to boil down their common fear
of getting lost and provide an optimistic resolution to
hold on to.
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Mom’s Amazing Socks
Shiny Eid Shoes
(Jawaribou Oumi Al Ajiba)
(Hitha Al Eid)
Illustrator: Ousama Mezher
Subject: Humorous stories; family and home stories;
ISBN: 978-9948-20-221-9
ISBN: 978-9948-15-540-9
Summary:
The little girl’s mother has a unique characteristic which
stands out amongst other mothers. Her socks are quite
amazing and unusual. Since she wears the Niqab, the
mother’s socks play a pivotal role for the little girl to
identify her mother in public. Her mother has a different
pair for every day of the week and they range from
striped, dotted, plain, lacy and heart shaped one.
Summary:
Dima needs to wait till Eid time for her mom to buy her
the blue shoes she eagerly wants. On the morning of
the Eid, she puts on her new dress with the new shoes
and goes to her grandparents’ where the whole family
is gathered to celebrate.
Mom’s Amazing Socks is an original way of introducing
the Niqab which provides the setting for the special
bond between the narrator and her mother through a
humorous scenario.
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Shiny Eid Shoes narrates the point of view of an
excited little girl about Eid and how she celebrates
it with her family with the spirit of Arab culture and
traditions.
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Kana Kana
(Kana Kana)
Unity Makes Strength
NEW
(Fie Al Ittihad Quwa)
Author: Abir Ballan
Subject: Traditional; heritage; fantasy and fables.
ISBN: 978-9948-20-220-2
ISBN: 978-9948-15-812-7
Summary:
A poor man and his wife find a beautiful bird and
decide to keep it. Soon after, the husband finds a job
and believes the bird is his lucky charm. He makes
enough money and decides to travel for his own
business. Before he leaves, he asks his wife to keep a
good eye on the bird and make sure his cage is never
left open. A couple of days later, as the wife cleans
the cage, the bird manages to fly away. The husband
returns and they have a big fight. He later finds the bird
locked up in a shopkeeper’s store. He asks him to give
the bird back but he says that he bought it years ago
from another country. The husband raises the issue to
the sultan and both men are brought in for the sultan to
test who the bird belongs to. The shopkeeper fails to
communicate with the bird but the husband sings.
Kana Kana with it like they always did. Kana Kana is a
traditional tale about hope and songs of love sung from
the heart of the UAE culture.
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Summary:
Sultan, an enthusiastic boy, runs home with a UAE flag
he makes at school for the national day. He asks his
family questions about the history of the United Arab
Emirates and goes for a visit to the Heritage Village with
them. They all partake in cultural activities and spend
a lovely time together. Sultan rides a camel and holds
a blindfolded peregrine, his father carries a falcon, his
mom and sister get henna patterns on their hands, his
grandmother has some coffee with cardamom while
grandpa joins the Yola dancers. Sultan asks about the
colours of the flag and the meaning of unity and his
grandfather tells him a story to answer his questions.
Unity Makes Strength presents the history of the UAE
before the discovery of oil and introduces the reader to
various cultural practices and food dishes of the United
Arab Emirates.
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Ghaya and the Serpent
Maithana’s Chicken
(Ghaya Wal Haneesh)
(Dajajat Maithana)
ISBN: 978-9948-15-785-4
ISBN: 978-9948-16-148-6
Binding: Hardcover | 27 x 22.5x 44 pages © 2010
Summary:
Lovely and beautiful Ghaya fares badly at the hands
of her stepmother but finds an unlikely savior in a
serpent she encounters and takes pity on. The serpent
helps her out and goes home with her. It asks her to
trust and marry it and promises to make her happy
for the rest of her life. Ghaya’s father accepts after
Ghaya’s begging and asking and throws them a small
ceremony. To Ghaya’s surprise, the serpent transforms
into a handsome sheikh from a royal family.
Summary:
Maithana, an old lonely woman, wishes to have a
daughter who would entertain her and help her around
the house. She feels her wish is too farfetched and
prays to nurture and care for a chicken instead, until
one day a chicken knocks her door and enters her
life. Maithana is overjoyed and raises her chicken like
her own child until it grows older. The chicken then
starts to misbehave and upsets Maithana leading her
to shout at it. With time, Maithana realizes that this
chicken is not an ordinary chicken but dismisses these
realizations even after the townspeople confirmed that
they heard the chicken speak. Maithana ignores all
these remarks until one day the wali visits Maithana to
ask for her chicken’s hand in marriage for his son.
Ghaya and the Serpent is an uplifting fairytale about
justice and how good people get the good they
deserve and the wicked do not stay in glory for
too long.
Maithana’s Chicken is a fairy tale set in the heart of the
Emirati culture about hope and optimistic outcomes
fused with eccentricity and imagination.
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Adorable Ahmad
When a Camel Craves Crunchies
(Ahmed El Helou)
(Hina Yashtahi Al Jamalou Al Lougaymat)
Author: Marwa Al Aqroubi
Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson
ISBN: 978-9948-15-811-0
ISBN: 978-9948-85-168-4
Summary:
Ahmad and Mariam are twins who never get along
in playtime. Ahmad loves his electronic games and
Mariam plays with her doll and tea set. Their parents
go on a trip and drop them off to their grandma’s place.
Ahmad realizes that he has forgotten his game at home
and that he’ll get really bored. Grandma tells them how
back in her time, they used to make their own games
and all play together in big groups. She then sings
a lullaby for them to sleep. That night, Ahmad has a
dream in which he and his sister meet their grandma as
a young girl in the old days.
Summary:
A little Bedouin girl is stuck with a peculiar camel guest
who will not be satisfied and happy until he is served
the famous Emirati traditional dish loqaimat (sweet and
crunchy bites). The girl tries her best to impress the
camel by serving him different popular Emirati dishes
like ballaleet, hareess, sagow, khanfaroosh, batheeth
and Khabees but he only craves loqaimat. When
grandma serves the loqaimat dish, he does not settle
for them alone without dipping them in the traditional
date syrup.
Adorable Ahmad is a pure traditional story presenting
the songs from the heart of the UAE through words
and an audio CD.
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When a Camel Craves Crunchies (Loqaimat) is a
humorous and rhyming story presenting the UAE
traditional customs of food and hospitality.
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Dana’s Journey
Father Zayed
(Rihlat Dana)
(Baba Zayed)
Author: Salha Ghabish
Author: Salha Ghabish
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Illustrator: Mahmoud Aboud
Subject: Traditional; heritage; fantasy and fables;
Subject: Biography; traditional and heritage stories.
relationships stories; adventure story.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-069-4
ISBN: 978-9948-16-333-6
Summary:
Dana, the pearl, and her friend Mozah have different
preferences regarding their futures. Mozah is a pearl
who wishes to stay in the deep blue ocean while Dana
dreams passionately about becoming an ornament of
jewellery that could one day belong to a beautiful girl.
As summer enters, divers start their search for pearls
and while Mozah hides from a diver, Dana gets picked
up and sold to a pearl merchant. The merchant sees
that Dana is a precious pearl and decides to gift it to
his own daughter, Dana. Dana, the little girl, wears the
pearl around her neck and therefore the pearl’s dream
is fulfilled.
Summary:
A persistent and perceptive individual, who had a
dream and worked hard to make it happen, founded
the United Arab Emirates.
Father Zayed narrates glimpses of Zayed Bin Sultan Al
Nahyan’s biography for children to understand how a
young man living in the desert envisioned and founded
the UAE.
Dana’s Pearl encourages children to dream and pursue
their ambitions wholeheartedly.
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Ramadaniyat
A Trip Like No Other
(Ramadaniyat)
(Rihla Ghayr Kol Al Rihlat)
Author: Hala Al Turki
Designer: Dina Khalife
Illustrator: Hatem Aly
Arts and crafts: Suzie and Lina Beaini
Photographer: Hanan Al Mahmood
Subject: Family and home stories; religion and beliefs;
people and places.
ISBN: 978-9948-16-150-9
ISBN: 978-9948-16-071-7
Summary:
This is an arts and crafts activity book with plenty of
ideas and recipes for the Holy month of Ramadan were
children could make colorful lanterns, rosaries, and
design bottles for water and juice. Ramadaniyat is a
fun activity book for children to use their imagination
and creativity and spend a couple of hours bringing out
their artistic talents.
Summary:
Marwa just got back from Umrah with her family
and narrates the details of her trip in this story. She
describes Mecca and the rituals she performed with
her parents there. After doing the Ihram, they pray in
The Grand Mosque, then proceed to Tawaf around the
Kaaba, then perform the Saii, and finally walk up Jabal
al-Nour to visit the Cave of Hira. To her, this was the
best trip she’s ever had.
A Trip Like No Other introduces the basics of Umrah
to children by providing visuals that help illustrate the
context of the places and the procedures of performing
the rituals.
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Biographies
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Authors
Abdulaziz Al Musallam
Abir Ballan
Bodour Al Qasimi
Cathy Khattar
Abdulaziz Al Musallam is a poet and a writer who was born in
Sharjah, UAE. He graduated from Beirut Arab University which
is based in Beirut, with a B.A. in history and has received a
higher diploma in History and Islamic Civilization from Sharjah
University. He rose to fame as a poet and a writer and did
work on folklore including fairy tales, oral history and Nabati
Poetry. At the present moment, he is the Director of Heritage
in the Department of Culture and Information established by
the Sharjah Government. He is considered the most popular
folklore writer in the UAE and has published 3 collections
of poetry and 9 books on culture and heritage. His work
includes, Safar el Layali (1990), Baqaya el Lail (1995) and
Tofolat Hob wa Salam (1998). He also wrote and published
prose such as Al Zakera al Shabya (1999), Al Azyaa wa al
zina (2001), Al Lahjah al Emarateya (2001), Bu Ahmed (2005),
Rashed al Shoq (2002), Marawed (2002), Bosmah (2002),
Madaaen al Reeh (Wind Cities) published in 2004, Marames
(2004), Bu Ahmed and Sharjah 2005. Al Musallam is also
a founding member of the Architectural Heritage Society
established in 2003, and a member of the Sharjah National
Theater. He participated in many Arabic and international
symposia, conferences and forums on cultural heritage,
folklore and history and is constantly writing essays and
editorials on these subjects to leading Arabic newspapers
and periodicals.
Born in Lebanon and brought up in Saudi and in Canada,
Abir Ballan returned to the American University of Beirut for
her university studies. Her background in public health and
psychology helps her convey ideas engagingly through her
books for children. Abir’s highly interactive and communicative
style makes her readings extremely entertaining for children.
Now, as a devoted full-time mother, her motherhood inspired
her four books of the Zein Series which was entitled after her
son’s name, Zein. The series deals with contemporary issues
for young boys and reach out to the boys of the age group.
Abir is one of Kalimat’s most prolific authors publishing books
on a variety of topics such as hobbies in her book, Najmat Al
Ballet Al Saghira (The Ballerina), the environment in Haddiya
Lee (A Gift for Me), the different roles of a mom in Wathifat
Mama (Mom’s Job) and the humorous Batal Al Fuquaat (The
Bubble Hero).
Bodour Al Qasimi is a lover of the written word and an avid
campaigner for the promotion of Arabic children’s literature.
She is the Founder and CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group,
the Founder of the Emirates Publishers Association, the
Patron and Founder of the UAE Board on Books for Young
People and the Founder of Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s
Literature. Sheikha Bodour has been involved in the creation
of high quality Arabic children’s books for over six years and
has now channelled that love and passion into a series of
imaginative finger puppet books to delight and enchant the
very young.
Language has always been my passion since my childhood.
I grew up, studied economics, and started to work, but
language kept pursuing me and making me feel it was waiting
for me. This is when I decided to write, or let’s say this is when
I thought of publishing some of what I write. Children’s books
impressed me most. I published my first book in 2006, then
my second, and I’m still writing and publishing until this day.
At the present moment, I have 8 books for children between
the age of 5 and 10. I have big dreams that I would like to
imagine that one day would all be published into books.
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Biographies | Authors
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Authors
Dareen Charafeddine
Fatima Sharafeddine
Hala Al Turki
Kifah Bu Ali
Dareen worked for four years as Kalimat’s publisher and was
responsible for ensuring that all the books that were published
met the highest standards when it came to content, language
and production standards. Dareen is a graduate of elementary
education from the American University of Beirut and has an
M.A. in Educational Leadership from the Teachers College
in Columbia University. She has always had a keen interest
in children’s books. Both her kids adore reading due to the
outcome of reading sessions they had from the time they were
infants. She fondly hopes other mothers use Kalimat books
to develop the same bond with their kids. She wrote Alwan Al
Dukkan (Colors in a Shop) to explain colours to toddlers.
Fatima Sharafeddine, one of Kalimat’s most prolific writers,
was born in Lebanon and spent the first six years of her life
in Sierra Leone. Over the last eight years, she has written
and published over 85 books mainly for children under 12
years old, and has translated several others from English and
French into Arabic. She has won several awards including the
Anna Lindh Regional Award in 2011, the best book award at
the Beirut International Book Fair in 2011 for the Kalimat book
Faten, was shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
twice (in 2010 and in 2011) and made it to the Anna Lindh
honour list in 2009 and 2010. She has written more than 39
books for Kalimat ranging from Murjan for the 0+ age group to
Faten for young adults.
Fatima has recently started to give workshops in various Arab
capitals for writers who want to focus on children’s literature.
Hala Al Turki was born in Vienna, Austria and spent her
childhood and the first years of her youth there; she got her
master’s degree in human resource development from the
University of Texas AandM in America.
Hala lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE,
and has several work on educational and cultural literature,
which began as a hobby of reading stories to ill children in
hospitals. Hala has settled in Abu Dhabi and has become
a certified leadership trainer. She is currently working on
leadership development programs for the youth.
Kifah Bu Ali has worked on a variety of professional
development programs and workshops related to children’s
literature from 2000 onwards. She believes children’s literature
is important in preparing little children by educating them
and building their characters as well as in entertaining them.
In 2007, she established the first mobile children’s library in
the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called
‘My Little Dreams in My Exciting Books’. It is a library which
provides a variety of Arabic stories for children with 300
stories by Arab authors. What make this library unique are
the services that are offered to the community as part of
the library, such as story telling sessions for children and big
events such as festivals, workshops, and so on.
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Authors
Maitha Al Khayat
Marwa Al Aqroubi
Mohanned Alakouse
Mona Al Hamadi
Born in the UAE, Maitha Al Khayat spent most of her
childhood years in the US and the UK. She began getting
hooked on books in middle school in the UK and has never
stopped reading or writing ever since. With an academic
background in Business Administration, Maitha worked in a
college library for a few years before opting for marriage and
kids. Even as a mother of four kids, she still manages to find
time to read all the time, to help in running a boutique her
best friend owns, to write for Ajyaal Entertainment company
in addition to writing children’s stories such as the charming
Tareeqati Al Khassa (My Special Way).
Marwa Obaid Rashid Salem Al Aqroubi completed her
Bachelor’s Degree in Information Science at Zayed University
in Dubai. She holds the position of Business Development
Manager in Sheikha Bodour’s Executive Office as well as
handling the operations of The UAE Boards on Books for
Young People. She has been involved in the coordination of
the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature since 2010.
During her studies, she was involved in producing, directing
and writing the script of the documentary film Women in the
UAE. She is also the author of the children’s book Ahmed El
Helo (Adorable Ahmad) which is about a journey through the
culture and heritage of the UAE.
Mohanned Thabet is a Syrian writer born in Damascus in
1938. He worked as an educator in an institute for the blind
and worked as a Secretary Editor for Osama magazine. He
has written poetry, short stories, children stories, and young
adult novels as well as adult books. He has several printed
children books, and wrote in many periodicals across the Arab
world.
Al Hamadi is an Emirati author with a bachelor in Education
and an 11 years experience with Kindergarten teaching.
Her experience runs across kindergartens with 10 years of
experience and she works at the Fujairah Education Zone
and is trained in all areas of education and children education.
She holds the Sharajah award for excellence in Education
Excellence oriented for class session 16.
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Authors
Nabil Salem
Noura Abbas Al Khoori
Noura Al Noman
Rai Abdulal
Nabil Salem is a Palestinian born in 1954. He studied in Syrian
schools and then studied the Arabic language in the University
of Damascus and received a degree in journalism in 1980. He
worked in several media agencies like the Syrian television as
well as the Syrian Arab News Agency and later joined Sharjah
TV in 1996. Nabil Salem wrote for several newspapers such
as the Emirati based Al Khaleej and Al Bayan this last decade.
He also worked as a reporter for the Lebanese magazine Al
Bayan Leading Arab Business Magazine and was reporting
from Dubai. Salem published a book entitled The War of
Information between The Arabs and Israel in 1988. He is now
working in Al Arabiya and is based in Dubai.
Noura Abbas Al Khoori was born in 1982 in the UAE. She
graduated as an environmentalist and pursued a 4-year
career in that field until she became a mother and decided to
become a homemaker. Her three little children are her main
source of inspiration. Her bedtime stories spurred the idea of
writing books for children that reflect the culture of this region.
She is now coupling volunteer work with writing for children.
Noura Al Noman works as the Director of the Executive
Office of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al
Qassimi. She has previously worked as the acting manager of
the Sharjah Ladies Club, Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah and has also run her own
business in Legal Translation. Currently, she has just finished
working on her forthcoming book Ajwan which is a science
fiction book for young adults.
Rai Abdulal is a Syrian author with an 8-year experience in
media. She worked on producing children shows with Sharjah
TV, Sama Dubai and Al Jazeera Children. She wrote several
children stories over a period of five years for Khaled, the
magazine published by Dubai Police. She worked in various
television channels such as Abu Dhabi TV as an editor and
a scriptwriter for recorded and live shows. She won the
Sharjah Creativity Award for the Short Story in 2007 and the
Ghanem Ghabbash Award for the Short Story in 2010. She
has published stories in different newspapers and magazines
in the UAE.
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Authors
Rana Anani
Rania Salim El Hage
Rania Zbib Daher
Rida Abouzeineddine
Rana Anani is a writer, critic and journalist who was born
and lives in Ramallah, Palestine. As a journalist she wrote on
various cultural topics and conducted numerous interviews
and reports. Anani wrote in a number of local and regional
newspapers and co-authored the book “Throne Villages
Architecture” with architect Suad Amry in 2003. She is now
the Communications Manager at the Palestinian Museum.
Rania holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and
educational permit from the American University of Beirut. She
has extensive experience in the field of education.
From 1996 until 2013, Rania ran a number of positions with
Beirut Orthodox Schools including: a director post at a school,
a preschool director, the manager of the Office of Training and
Development, and Director of Special Education, the head
of different departments in the school, and a primary grades
teacher. Since 2010, she has been a trainer at the Center
for Continuing Education at the University of Hagazian in
Beirut. Since December 2013, Rania has been an educational
consultant in the program “Drasati” to improve public schools
in Lebanon with the America Mideast Educational and Training
Services (AMIDEAST).
She also participated in the writing of stories and activities
for children in the Arabic and English language with several
publishing houses.
Rania Zbib Daher is an award-winning writer who graduated
from communication arts from the Lebanese American
University in Beirut. She draws on her experiences as a
mother of three and her background as a director, producer,
writer and presenter on kids and teenagers programs for
Future TV, Zein TV and Dubai TV to provide the content for
her highly topical, humorous and engaging books. A talented
artist and entrepreneur as well, Rania Zbib Daher has set up
her own business, Writing Colors, dealing with paintings, baby
gifts and accessories for children.
A software engineer by profession, Rida experienced the
difficulties of being left-handed on a first hand basis and has
developed into an individual with multiple interests in spite of
the obstacles he faced. Ana Wadi Al Yusra (My Left Hand and
I) is his first attempt at children’s fiction. An avid reader and an
aficionado of sculpture and architecture, Rida loves adventure
sports such as mountain climbing, hiking and para-gliding.
He has also worked on a regular basis as a volunteer to teach
children in refugee camps.
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Authors
Rola Chami Al Hoss
Rym Ghazal
Sahar Naja Mahfouz
Salma Koraytem
Rola graduated with a bachelors degree of elementary
education and holds an educational permit from the American
University of Beirut.
From 1997 to 2000, she taught Arabic to elementary level
school in Beirut.
From 2000 to 2003, she taught Arabic to primary levels (grade
3) in the Saudi Arabia. From the years 2003-2011 Rola taught
Arabic to the kindergarten levels in the Hariri High School II,
where she also worked with students with learning difficulties.
From the year 2011 until the present day Rola has been the
Arabic curriculum coordinater for the kindergarten and the
secondary levels of the Hariri High School II in Beirut. She
coauthored stories and activities for children written in Arabic,
with several publishing houses such as, Dar Asala, Dar Al Fikr
Al Lebnani, Dar Al Saqi and Kalimat.
Rym Tina Ghazal is of a mixed cultural and religious
background with a Polish/German mother, and a Lebanese/
Syrian father. She was born in communist Poland, grew up
in Islamic Saudi Arabia, and then studied in Canada. Her
unusual background makes her embrace differences, and she
cannot be boxed into any category.
Having worked as a psychologist, a researcher, a teacher, a
photographer, an artist, a writer and having dabbled in theater,
radio and car racing, Rym now combines all of these passions
in her current career as a columnist and senior reporter at the
Abu Dhabi based newspaper, The National. Her best friends
are her cats, Tiny and Tuna. Ghazal’s Maskoon (Haunted), a
young adult horror novel, is her first book.
Beirut born, Sahar Naja Mahfouz graduated with a degree in
public administration and has been in the UAE for the past 20
years. A mother of three children who also works full time as
the office manager for UAE Central Bank, Sahar still finds time
in her busy schedule to write stories that convey the need for
tolerance and acceptance of individuality particularly in the
context of the diverse mix of cultures here. Sahar’s first book
was Loughz al Saghir (Secret of the Small Person) for Asala
publishing house along with three more books for children.
Both her books for Kalimat, Zarafa Melia (Melia the Giraffe)
and Huroufi Tarqus (My Dancing Letters) are about characters
who are different from the crowd and try their best to fit in.
Syrian born Salma Koraytem graduated with a degree in
French literature from Damascus University and obtained a
diploma in translation from the University of Lyons in France.
She has won prizes for her children’s stories and was a
member of the jury panel for judging entries from Syria for the
Anna Lindh prize. Salma is very interested in animation and
has participated in a workshop on animation technology for
short films with the Irish director Steve Woods.
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Authors
Samar Mahfouz Barraj
Sanaa Shabbani
Salha Ghabish
Taqa Al Hamrany
With a teaching diploma in Arabic and Social Studies from
the American University of Beirut, Lebanese born Samar
Mahfouz Barraj has worked as an Arabic language teacher
and is in charge of the library in a private school. She is also
a member of LBBY. She participates in multiple activities in
different Lebanese areas to encourage children to read. These
experiences have given her an understanding of human nature
and empathy for children. She has thus been able to tailor her
stories to suit the tastes and language of her young readers.
With her lyrical style and her ability to weave a story that
captures the attention of young readers, Samar’s books will
be a valuable addition to every child’s collection.
Sanaa Shabbani is a full-time writer of children’s books who
has authored 15 children’s books, two published plays and is
a regular contributor to children’s magazines in Arabic. With
graduate degrees in the English language and the oriental
flute from Beirut University College, Sanaa Shabbani is a
multifaceted lady. Her sensitivity to art and music and her
experience as a teacher of music and English for both adults
and children have been instrumental in helping her develop
her intrinsic flair for storytelling.
Salha Ghabish started out as a teacher and currently heads
the cultural office within the Supreme Council of Family
Affairs. She is also the publisher of a magazine for girls
named “Sadiqati al Azizat” which gives them a platform to
share issues that are of concern to them. Salha is a highly
respected figure in Emirati culture and creates a magical
world for her readers in her poems, short and long stories and
in her plays. Starting right from her school years when she
excelled in Arabic composition, she has had a deep passion
for the Arabic language. She is closely involved with writing
and producing plays. Her published books on poetry include
Bintizar Al-Shams (Waiting for the Sun), Al Maraya Laysat Hiya
(Mirror is not the same), Alaan Araft (Now I have Known) and
the collection Biman ya Buthayna Taluthin? (With whom O
Buthynah Do You Protect Yourself?). She has written books
for children and teenagers with Rihlat Dana (Dana’s Journey)
being the first book she has written for Kalimat.
Born in 1995, Taqa Al Hamrany is a student at the University
of Princess Noura in Riyadh in the College of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences. She has participated in many
activities in literary and cultural festivals by sharing her writing,
acting in plays, and declamation celebrations in school and
social clubs and evenings locally and internationally. She is
a writer and she published three books which won several
awards, as well as writing a number of children stories and
poetry since 2005 . She hopes to be able to live -through her
novels-humanitarian cases, and to present profound, strong,
important and various issues to her community and the world
in general.
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Illustrators
Abdulla Hakim
Agata Wojakowska
Amal Karzai
Angela Nurpetlian
Abdulla Hakim (goes by the name of Abz) is a Jordanian /
Canadian Illustrator and Graphic Designer who now lives in
Toronto, Canada. Abz has been linked with big companies
such as Unicef, Facebook and iPhone. He was also featured
on Oprah.com, and other sites like The Food Network
blog. Abz continues to freelance today, and in his free time
manages to write, cook, travel, and do lots of walking.
Agata Wojakowska is an illustrator and designer. She studied
Interior Design in the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław,
Poland. She lives in Krakow and divides her time between
illustrating, designing and teaching. Despite the fact that she
is not a little girl anymore, she still deeply believes in magic.
The Dream Vendor is her fist book for Kalimat.
Amal grew up in a household short on paints, but long on
dyes made from boiled onion peel and parsley leaves. After
graduating with a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of
Art, she began illustrating while training in the conservation
of Asian paintings. She is currently studying for her MFA in
illustration from the Academy of Art University in
San Francisco.
Having received a degree in Illustration in 2007 from the
Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) in Beirut, Angela works as a
freelancer on illustration, design and visual art projects in the
Middle East and abroad. Her works offer a rich tapestry of
colors and the delicacy of a child’s imagination.
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Biographies | Illustrators
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Illustrators
Anke Rymenams
Beatrice Costamagna
Betania Zacarias
Blanca BK
Belgium based Anke Rymenams obtained her Masters degree
in Illustration from the Provincial High School in Limburg.
She has trained as a teacher and has worked as a volunteer
in the favelas of Brazil to teach children art and language.
For 3 years until June 2008, she worked at the FactorY, a
social-artistic-atelier for deprived people, after obtaining extra
training for teaching creative courses to mentally disabled
people. She also teaches children and youngsters at the Art
Academy SLAC in Leuven (Belgium). Anke has found working
with children fascinating and this has led to an interest in
illustrating books for children. She has worked on Al Bint Al
Saghira Allati for Kalimat.
Beatrice is a young freelance illustrator from Torino (Italy).
After her Masters degree in Illustration at the IED (European
Institute of Design) she worked for two years as an illustrator
and a graphic designer for an advertising company based
in Torino (from 2009 to 2011). This working experience has
helped her a lot to learn new techniques and alternative ways
of communication, from below-the-line advertising to stopmotion animation. It also taught her to always look around
for new inspiration in order to find the spark of creativity
in the strangest forms of communication. In spring 2011
she begun the freelance illustrator career and specialized
in children’s book and educational illustrations, and has
experience in creating editorial and conceptual illustrations.
Her clients include Chili TV, Sandro Pertini Airport, Energrid
and Mondovicino Outlet Village in Italy and Caves Books, AZ
Books and Time Out Magazine, internationally.
Betania Zacarias is an Argentinian illustrator and graphic
designer who graduated from the University of Buenos Aires,
where she also taught later on. In Buenos Aires she worked as
an illustrator and a designer at Colorium.tv, Lusa and CMYK
studios, and worked as a freelance professional for several
clients, publishing companies, agencies and studios. Since
2008 she has lived in Barcelona and works as a freelance
illustrator and graphic designer.
Blanca was born in 1974, in Zaragoza, Spain, and has been
drawing from a very young age but did not take the matter
seriously until 2007. She graduated from Zaragoza’ Art School
and has illustrated more than fifteen children books since
then. Some of her books have been published in several
languages. She regularly exhibits her work whenever she gets
the opportunity and has won several prizes. Blanca loves and
enjoys doing workshops and working with children.
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Illustrators
Christelle Hallal
Danielle Kattar
Diala Zada
Dina Khalifé
Christelle Hallal was born in Lebanon and has a masters
degree in advertising from the Académie Libanaise des
Beaux-Arts (ALBA). She has a special interest in illustration
and has worked on several books for Kalimat including Kam
Tuhibbinani and Murjan.
Beirut born Danielle Kattar graduated from the Académie
Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) with a masters degree in
advertising. Her fields of interest are editorial design, branding
and identity, illustration, book design, web design and 2D
animation. She works as a freelancer in illustration, graphic
design and animation projects. She also currently works as a
teacher tof visual literacy, visual communication, packaging,
illustration and graphic design at both Académie Libanaise
des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) and the Lebanese University.
My name is Diala Zada and I currently work as an Art
Educator in the Education Division in the Museum of
Islamic Art in Doha. I’m preparing a master degree in
Visual Communications. My first year subject was in Photo
Montage. My graduation thesis title is ‘Folk Tales in the
European Children Books in the 20th Century’. I studied Visual
Communication in Damascus faculty of fine arts in Syria and
graduated in 2006. In 2008 I lectured in the department of
visual communications at Damascus University in the Faculty
of Fine Arts. I’ve participated in several group exhibitions in
Syria and workshops for arts and children’s illustration in Syria,
Lebanon and Qatar. In 2003, I worked as a 2D animator in
StarAnimation studio in Damascus where I had experience in
producing full character animation using Flash software. I left
the studio after I graduated from college in 2006. I participated
in animating the short cartoon movie Rain that was shown
in Katara in Doha with Doha Film Institute DFI. I participated
in animating and producing a short cartoon movie The Wolf
and Laila that was shown in the Opera House in Damascus
through the activities of The Cultural Festival of Shabablek.
I also worked in the short cartoon film Perfume that was
shown in the events of Damascus, which is considered to be
the capital of Arabic culture, as part of the Films Production
Awards / animation, Damascus, Syria 2008.
Dina Khalifé is a graduate of the School of Architecture and
Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut. She
worked at regional design firms including Mind the Gap and
Mohtaraf Beirut Graphics before pursuing a Master’s degree
in Textile Design and Surfaces at the renowned Instituto
Europeo di Design in Madrid. After her studies, Dina joined
famous Spanish fashion house, Bimba and Lola where she
established herself as a designer creating scarves, jewelry and
hats, honing her skills and establishing her own creative niche
for one of Spain’s key fashion retailers. In September 2011,
she returned to Beirut to join the Starch team as an accessory
designer. It was from here that Dina launched her eponymous
label.
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Illustrators
Estrellita Caracol
Fadi Salame
Fereshteh Najafi
Gustavo Aimar
Estrellita was born in Buenos Aires, where she currently lives.
She studied Graphic Design at the Buenos Aires University
(UBA). At the same time, she became more and more
attached to illustration as an autodidact through collage,
papers and scissors. Since then, her illustrations have been
published in books, magazines and school texts. In 2013
Estrellita’s illustrations were selected to participate in the
Fourth Iberoamerica Illustration Catalog and in the lounge of
the illustrators in the International Book Fair of Guadalajara.
In the present she works as an independent designer and
illustrator, and gives collage and illustration workshops for
adults and kids.
To see her artwork, visit www.estrellitacaracol.com.ar
I am a 1999 graduate of the Lebanese University with a
Diploma in Fine arts, and I hold a Certificate in Graphic Design
from Desktop Publishers (Verdun-Lebanon) since 1996. I
have more than 15 years work experience in graphic design,
illustration, branding, animation and other related fields.
Throughout my freelance career, I have worked for well known
TV channels, publishers and magazines in Lebanon and the
region. Examples include Dar El Hadaek Future TV and AlManar TV in Lebanon, Al Jazeera TV for Kids in Qatar, King
Fahd Library in Saudi Arabia, Konoz Web Magazine in Kuwait
and Kalimat in United Arab Emirates. I have also participated
in several local painting and illustration fairs.
Fereshteh Najafi is a versatile artist who works in a wide range
of colors and details. She focuses on her unique style. She
is known for her illustrations which have been described as
imaginative and evocative. She was born in Iran in 1974 and
has a bachelors in graphic design and masters in illustration
from Tehran Art University. Freshteh has illustrated more
than 20 books for children with several publishers around
the world. She published 3 books which were written and
illustrated by her. She has received numerous international
awards and moved to Italy in 2008 to settle and work in
Genova.
Aimar is a graphic designer, illustrator, and an artist. He was
born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1973. In 1977 his family
relocated to Trelew, in the Patagonia region of Argentina
where he lives to this day. His curiosity for drawing and art in
general manifested at a very early age. He attended various
artistic expression workshops where he came in contact with
different materials and mediums that were new to him. He
studied at the Centro Polivalente de Arte of Trelew between
1987 and 1991 where he obtained a degree to teach Art and
Drawing. In 1993 he went back to the city of Buenos Aires
to study Graphic Design. He worked at a newspaper doing
supplement design and diagraming. He has participated since
1986 as a student, artist or illustrator in different shows and
galleries. He was selected to show his illustration work at
the Bologna Book Fair in 2008 and the Bratislava Illustration
Biennial in 2009 (Foro de Ilustradores de Argentina). He’s
currently devoted full time to illustrating children’s books,
various publications and in his free time he continues to create
art and personal projects.
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Illustrators
Hassan Manassrah
Hassan Zahreddine
Hatem Aly
Hiba Farran
Manassrah was born in 1960 and lives in Amman, Jordan.
He studied art and sculpture in Amman, where he worked
in an animation studio. The most influential was his work
with storytelling and sequentiality. He has illustrated several
children’s books that are successful in the Arab world. He
published comics mainly online and is very passionate about
them.
Zahreddine is a printmaker and illustrator with a B.A in fine
arts (painting) from the Lebanese University and from the
Université du Quebec a Montreal and an M.A in printmaking
from Concordia University. He had solo exhibitions in Lebanon
and Canada. He has participated in several printmaking
venues in several countries (Canada, Japan, Spain,
Bangladesh, Syria and Poland). Zahreddine participated in the
exhibition of Arab Illustrators of Children’s books at the Institut
du Monde Arabe, France in 2003 and has been shortlisted in
Bologna illustrators’ exhibition in 2009 and 2011.
Hatem was born in warm, noisy and lively Cairo, Egypt and
is currently living in cool, quiet and calm New Brunswick,
Canada with his wife, son, and pets. He has worked with
many publishers, mostly for children, and has also worked
with advertising agencies, web-based productions and
animation studios in many parts of the world including Egypt,
UK, Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the USA. He is
self-motivated, a storyteller and a lover of challenges in his art.
His aim is to make art reachable and attractive to children.
Hiba Farran is a graphic designer and illustrator based in
Lebanon. She graduated from the American University of
Beirut in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design.
Ever since, she has been active in the field of children’s books
illustration. She illustrated a number of children’s books
published by different publishers in Lebanon and abroad.
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Illustrators
Hoda Haddadi
Intelaq Mohammed Ali
Jimena Tello
Joelle Achkar
Hoda Haddadi started illustrating for magazines such as
Soroush and Keyhan Bacheha-Docharkheh in 1998.
Her first published book as an illustrator was in 1999 and now
has more than 40 published children’s books.
Intelaq Mohammed Ali is an award winning Iraqi illustrator
based in Iran. She has won awards for both her written
work and her illustrations. She has worked on 42 children’s
books, 32 animations, 22 books for adults and 12 children’s
magazines to her credit. Medium is not a limitation for her for
she worked on animations, posters, children’s books and all
facets of art. She is an active participant in conferences and
workshops on literature and illustration.
Jimena was born in Buenos Aires. At the age of 4 her family
moved to France where she lived for 20 years. There she
studied editorial design at the Ecole Supérieure Estienne
(graphic arts school) and Illustration at the Ecole Supérieure
des Arts Décoratifs (Art School), in Strasbourg. Back in
Argentina she completed her learning with the Colombian
illustrator José Sanabria, at the Sotano Blanco School of
Arts, where she now teaches. Since her return to Argentina
in 1997, she worked for publishers such as Santillana,
Sudamericana, Alfaguara, Atlántida, AZ, Estrada, Edelvives,
SM, Pictus, Puerto de Palos, Vergara and Riba and various
governmental agencies. She has recently published several
books with the Mexican publisher CIDCLI (this book was also
published in Korea) and French publisher Alzabane. In 2008
she was selected to participate in the catalog of Argentinean
illustrators presented at the Bologna Book Fair. In 2011 she
was selected to exhibit at the Biennale in Bratislava.
Joelle Achkar was born in 1984 in Lebanon. After years of
doodling the unusual details of the world around her, Joelle
joined the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) and
earned a Masters degree in illustrations and comics in 2007.
An independent illustrator, Joelle loves to illustrate children’s
stories, creating funny and expressive characters and to
animate them with a vivid color palette. Since 2009, Joelle
has been teaching Visual Literacy to first year students in the
Interior Architecture and Design Department at the Lebanese
Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA).
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Illustrators
Juana Martinez-Neal
Khaled Sadaqa
Lena Merhej
Loujaina Alassil
Juana Martinez Neal is a Peruvian born illustrator who is
currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She started in the
illustration industry at the age of 16. 5 years later, she went
to the art school at Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru,
School of Fine Arts, to get a formal qualification in art. She
moved to the United States three years after graduating and
has lived there ever since. She is worked as a graphic and
web designer for 10 years until she realized just how much
she missed illustration. Portraying other cultures with pride
and respect is a vital aspect of her work.
Khaled Sadaqa is a senior 2D Animator, character designer
and illustrator with a rich portfolio. He worked in Rubicon,
Amman, Jordan as an animator from 2005 until 2007 and was
the art director of Kharabeesh, Amman, Jordan from 2012
until 2014.
Lena Merhej, illustrator, animator and comic artist, is currently
working on her PhD on comics. She teaches and gives
workshops in the visual arts. She illustrated over 20 Arabic
children’s books, wrote several comic stories, and exhibited
her work both locally and internationally. She received several
awards for her animation and visual stories.
Syrian born Loujaina has channeled her artistic talent into
children books, cartoons and other works for children. She
is a graduate with a degree of fine arts from the university of
Damascus. As an illustrator of more than 65 children’s books
published by different Arab publishing houses, Loujaina’s
work is highly noted in the Arab world. She is the author of
three children books in addition to several scripts for children’s
magazines. Loujaina has worked on 10 animated cartoons
and has also provided the script and artwork for 26 episodes
of a children’s TV program. She has won several awards and
honours for her work including the best poster design for the
Arabic Cinema festival in Famek, France in 1995, first prize
for the best book layout at the Beirut International book fair in
2008 and the Anna Lindh prize for children with special needs
books in 2010. She is a member of the Plastic Artists Union
and the Arab Journalists Union.
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Illustrators
Mahmoud Aboud
Manal Haddadin
Mariana Ruiz Johnson
Maya Chami
Mahmoud Fahmi Aboud was born in Babylon, Iraq in 1962.
He holds a Master of Fine Arts since 1997 from Kharkov
Academy of Arts in Ukraine. He works as a graphic designer
and a children storybooks illustrator and has approximately
fifty books for children published. He worked in Norway
between 1999 and 2002 as a drawing instructor in the
College of Arts and and later as an illustrator and designer
at children’s centers in Sharjah. From 2002 to 2011 he gave
drawing courses in Sharjah. Mahmoud now works as an artist
and has had many personal exhibitions. He joined numerous
joint exhibitions in the UAE and abroad and won the first prize
in the Emirates Exhibition Association of Fine Arts in 2013. He
was honored by the Cultural Department of the Government
of Sharjah. He is a member of the Emirates Fine Art Society
and a member of the Russian Fine Art Society. He currently
lives between the United Arab Emirates and Canada.
Jordan based Manal Haddadin worked for a while as an
illustrator in the children’s magazine Arabic Cartoon in
addition to working in the field of Health Education. Working
as a freelance illustrator, Manal has illustrated more than 30
children’s books. She uses mixed media for her artwork;
water colors, gouache, acrylic in addition to digital art. She is
also a freelance graphic designer for many NGO’s in Jordan
and created Tartosh, a cartoon character who became well
known in water related environmental publications for children
in Jordan.
Mariana Ruiz Johnson was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
in 1984. She is currently attending her last courses for her
Bachelors in Visual Arts at the IUNA (National University
Institute of Art). Since 2005 she has been specializing her
studies as an illustrator at the Sótano Blanco Art School
with José Sanabria. She has also studied with other great
illustrators such as Saúl Oscar Rojas, Claudia Legnazzi and
Svetlan Junacovic.
She is perfecting herself in child and teen literature at Susana
Cazenave de Rodríguez’ workshop. She is a teacher of
Creative Processes designed by José Sanabria at the Sótano
Blanco Art School as well as of techniques seminars at the
same school.
In 2009 her album-book project Irupé y Yaguareté was a
finalist at the A la Orilla del Viento Prize of the Fondo de
Cultura Económica. She currently works as an independent
illustrator.
Maya Chami is an expert in graphic design and digital art.
Born in Beirut, she graduated with a graphic design degree
from the Lebanese American University in 2001 and received
a masters degree in digital arts from the Camberwell College
of Arts in London. She works in graphic design and digital
arts on both commissioned and personal projects and has
participated in several design and digital arts events and
competitions. She has worked on the Yasmina series for
Kalimat.
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Illustrators
Maya Fidawi
Maya Majdalani
Michèle Standjofski
Muriel Abichaker
As a member of a family who embraced art, she was very
much encouraged to be an artist. She studied painting and
sculpting at the faculty of art in the Lebanese university and
graduated in the year 2000. She has been illustrating ever
since and has illustrated over 17 books, most of which have
been done for Kalimat publishers.
Born in Lebanon, Maya grew up in France in a family of artists.
Maya studied Illustration and Advertising at the Lebanese
Academy of Fine Arts, ALBA, where she won the UNESCO
International Comic Strip Prize in 2004. During the same year,
she wrote and illustrated a comic strip, “L’autre et Lui”, that
was published at La Cédéthèque. Later, she worked as an art
director for Ogilvy Lebanon where she won the Pikasso d’Or
for the best Unipole campaign in 2008. Today, Maya works
on a freelance basis on advertisements, illustrations and
graphic design for her clients. She also teaches illustration at
the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and at the University of
Balamand where she has held various illustration workshops.
Michèle Standjofski was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1960. She
began to draw and paint at the age of 7 in her grandfather,
Michel Horoche’s studio. She graduated with a degree in
literature from Saint-Joseph University in Beirut. She has
been working as an illustrator since 1977, and from 1989 has
devoted herself exclusively to illustrating children’s books.
Since 1992, she has been teaching courses in Comic strip
drawing and illustration at ALBA University in Lebanon.
Muriel began drawing at an early age, and would often sketch
in the margins of her textbooks. In 2003, she graduated from
ALBA (Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts) with a Master
degree in Advertising. After working for two years in an
advertising agency in Beirut she decided that illustration was
her true calling.
Currently living between Paris and Beirut, Muriel has worked
for numerous European and Arab publishers. She’s illustrated
several children books, designed characters, logos and
games. She dislikes: the sound of thunder and okra recipes.
She likes: giving old furniture new life, and cats’ purr.”
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Illustrators
Nadine El Khatib
Nadine Kaadan
Nasim Abaeian
Nasser Nasrallah
Nadine is currently working on her PhD in International
Business Law at the Universite de Rennes 1 in France and the
Lebanese University (French section).
From 2004 onwards, Nadine has illustrated children’s books,
short stories, magazine covers, short animated videos,
posters and flyers for many publishing houses in the Middle
East including Kalimat. Nadine is a trained violinist who has
participated in many concerts.
Nadine Kaadan was born in Paris and graduated with a
degree in fine arts from the Fine Arts University of Damascus.
She also received a diploma in children’s book illustration from
central Saint Martin College for art and design in London in
2007. Currently, she is working as a children’s illustrator for
several international publishers and has illustrated several
books, among them two for the ministry of culture and
Syrian general book committee. Nadine has also worked as
a graphic designer on many advertisements for the Syrian
ministry of culture. She loves to illustrate fairy tales and
bedtime stories, and her favorite color is pink!
Nasim Abaeian was born in 1980 in Esfahan, Iran. She moved
with her family to Genova in north Italy, due to her parents’
jobs. She completed elementary school there. Having already
been exposed to art and architecture in Italy, she finished high
school in Tehran and got her B.S in visual communication
from the American university of Sharjah in the U.A.E. After
spending some time working as a graphic designer and book
cover illustrator in Tehran’s publishing field, Nasim followed
her passion for illustration to the United States, where she
obtained her MFA in illustration from the Savannah College of
Art and Design, GA. Nasim is an art instructor and freelance
children’s books illustrator, living in Dubai, U.A.E. So far she
has published three children’s books in Arabic, Ghaya Wa
al Hanish (Ghaya and the Serpent) and Dajajat Maithana
(Maithana’s Chicken) for Kalimat in Sharjah UAE and Grandma
Oysho at Bustan Al-Ghosais publisher in Dubai. Currently, she
is an adjunct instructor at the art and design department of
Zayed University in Dubai. In addition, she holds various art
workshops at galleries and institutes in Dubai. She is widely
open to work with other local and international publishers and
writers.
For Nasser Nasrallah (born 1984), making art is about
experimenting with and synthesizing materials, be they
physical objects, ideas or theorems. His work is a highly
personal response to his environment; the people and places
he comes across. It is a direct result of his thoughts and
feelings and his desire to communicate his inner life to the
viewer. Nasrallah is driven by the desire to test new concepts
and methodologies and to utilize them where they can enrich
his artwork. He is stimulated by the physical objects he
collects and feels drawn to use in his
work, such as toys, small consumer items, buttons
paper, wood, and pieces of hardware. Nasrallah has a
Telecommunication degree Engineering from Khalifa University
in Sharjah. He took art courses at the Emirates Fine Arts
Society whilst studying for his degree, and participated in
exhibitions inside and outside the UAE, including the Annual
Exhibition of the Emirates Fine Art Society and the Cairo
Biannual in 2006. Nasrallah currently holds the position of
Vice President of the Emirates Fine Art Society and is an
Ambassador for The UAE Board on Books for Young People
(UAEBBY) He had two solo exhibitions in 2009 and 2011, and
won the First Prize award at the Emirates Fine Art Society’s
30th Annual Exhibition in 2012. He also participated in Sharjah
Biennial 11 and Art Dubai in 2013.
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Illustrators
Nicole Debbas
Nour Bishouty
Ousama Mezher
Pascale Hares
Nicole Debbas is an illustrator and designer that has
collaborated on several children’s book and written her own
series entitled Nicki’s Adventures Around the World. Nicole
has worked in various fields including packaging and design
and has introduced a new line of designer handbags and
various products with illustrations. She now continues to work
as an illustrator from her head office in Lebanon.
Nour Bishouty is a half Lebanese half Palestinian artist,
illustrator, designer (and a few other things) who grew up in
Amman. She first learned to draw from her father, a Lebanese
painter and sculptor. She graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts
from College of Arts and Design, University of Jordan, and
is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Studio Art at the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She spends most of
her day in the studio and on the bus, drawing, procrastinating
and singing.
Ousamma Mezher works primarily in the area of children’s
publishing, an area that she is really passionate about. She
is also strongly attracted to design in general whether it
is graphics, architectural projects, still life etc. In addition
to children’s books, she has worked on CDs, games and
magazine articles.
Pascale Hares is a freelance art director obsessed with
design, illustration, food and monsters. She was born in Beirut
but prefers to live in Beit Mery with her husband, her two sons
and her Labrador. She used to work in big ad agencies but
she now prefers to teach identity at Alba and draw in her free
time.www.pascalehares.com / blog: www.sicou.wordpress.
com
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Illustrators
Rasha Mounib Al Hakim
Rebeca Luciani
Rima Al Koussa
Rocío Alejandro
Rasha is an illustrator and flash animator from Damascus,
Syria. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in
Damascus and embarked on a long artistic journey to finally
settle on her own uniquely individual style. She has worked
for clients from all over the world on a variety of projects from
children’s books to comics.
I was born in 1976 in the city of La Plata, Argentina. This is
where I studied drawing and painting at the College of Fine
Arts and Faculty of Fine Arts of the National University of La
Plata.
Since the year 2000, I have been living in Barcelona where
I have been working as an illustrator. I have published over
20 children books and have worked on the illustration of
magazines such as Caras y Caretas, Decubrir Quina and
Tretze Vents. My work has been exhibited in Argentina, Spain
and Italy. My clients include the Destino Editions, Random
House Mondadori, Kalandraka, Cruïlla, Encidopedia Catalana,
The Publications of the Abadía de Montserrat, BaulaEdelvives, Grupo Santillana, Bromera, Parramón, Grup 62,
Barcanova, Pequeño Editor and Palenta.
Rima Al Koussa is a Syrian artist and illustrator based in
Damascus. She graduated with a degree in fine arts and
visual communication from the College of Fine Arts in
Damascus. Rima has worked on a number of magazines and
children’s books including Al Qutta Quttna and Al Kunfuth Kiwi
for Kalimat and is currently working on her masters degree.
Rocío Soledad Alejandro was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
in December of 1978. She studied graphic design and has
been working as a freelancer for many years. She started
her career as a children illustrator in the Art school Sotano
Blanco were she currently works at as a teacher. She also
participated in several seminars and workshops with wellknown illustrators and professionals in the art field. Her
illustrations have been published in SM, Santillana, AZ Editora,
Estrada, Rumbo Sur, Edelvives, Kalimat, and Del Naranjo.
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Illustrators
Samar Ziadé
Sandra Ghosn
Salam Al Hassan
Shaima Al Malik
Graduated with a diploma in fine arts from Lebanon and
has been an art teacher from 1999 onwards teaching art,
interior design and advertising classes at institutes like the
Tripoli Technical Institute and in schools. She is a member
of the Lebanese Artists Association and of the World Craft
Council. She won the first prize at the 15th WCC International
General Assembly in Metsovo, Greece in 2004 for her entry
under the category Challenge to Creativity Competition.
She has illustrated more than 10 children’s books published
by companies across the Middle East and participated in
numerous solo and group exhibitions showcasing her works
of art.
An illustrator and a graphic designer, Lebanese artist Sandra
Ghosn studied Psychology, Graphic Design and Applied
Modern French Literature before focusing on Comics Studies
and the Printed Image. She obtained her Masters in illustration
from the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts and went on to
study drawing and painting techniques at the École Nationale
Supérieure des Arts Decoratifs in Paris and literature at the
Sorbonne. She won several prizes for her student work.
Ghosn has been living and working in Paris since 2007.
Is a Syrian artist born in 1975 who received his diploma in
fine arts from Adham Ismaeel Institute, Damascus in 2000.
He is currently in Dubai working as a characters and locations
designer for Fanar Animation Production. He started his
animation career in 1999. In the year 2008 he directed 2
short animation films after receiving the grant from the cultural
event in Syria. His 2 short films 1:30 pm Damascus Time and
Short Dream were screened in many film festivals (Sousa
festival in Tunisia and Beirut Mutaharreka Lebanon) and
received compliment certificates from the jury of the festival.
He also worked for several companies as an illustrator and
characters and locations designer as well as an illustrator
of comic books. Adding to that, he worked as a freelance
director for children books. He has also been a participant in
the photography art organized by the French Cultural Centre
since 2005.
I’m an independent Emirati illustrator and a graphic designer.
I studied in Dubai Women’s college and graduated with a
Bachelor’s degree with distinction of honors in Applied Media
studies. I started freelancing since I graduated in 2009 and did
a lot of work for the Ministry of Education, private companies
and some individual clients, including graphic design and
illustration. I do a mixture of artworks, enjoy working with
different media and love to explore new illustration styles. I
have participated in many events and won first place in Sheikh
Majid Media awards in 2010, participated in Character Dubai
2009, Sikka Art Fair in 2011 and Abu Dhabi International Book
Fair (Illustrator’s corner) in 2012. I also participated in the
Middle East Film and Comic Con in 2012 and 2013. I have
completed the Made in UAE-New Emirati Children’s Book
workshop with the German artist UTE KRAUSE in April 2012,
which was organized by UAEBBY and the Goethe-institute
gulf region. I was featured in Mwahib: The Talent Directory
vol1 which was produced by Mariam Bin Natoof, 2012/2013.
184
185
Illustrators
Sinan Hallak
Sophie Burrows
Tarek Kamal
Yousuf Helou
Born and raised in Beirut – the city he always comes back
to after his frequent travels – is an illustrator and graphic
designer who is a graduate of Académie Libanaise des Beaux
-Arts, ALBA and also a part-time university instructor. His
work has been nominated for various awards (2011 Anna
Lindh Foundation award winner). Sinan avidly tries to be
part of as many art-community activities, lectures, events,
and workshops and believes in the power of sharing and
exchanging knowledge.
I am an Illustrator living and working in Bristol, UK,
specializing in Children’s Illustration and Greetings Card
design. I graduated from UWE in 2011 with a First Class
degree in Illustration. While studying I was awarded Highly
Commended in the Macmillan Prize for my book Pigs Can’t
Fly. My clients are, Parragon Books, HarperCollins, Kalimat
Books (UAE), American Greetings, Vistaprint, Elle Publishing,
Wonky Studios, Yo Pilgrim!, Kaplan Altior, Calling The Shots,
Hypoparathyroidism UK.
Tarek Kamal graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Egypt
in 2001. He worked in the field of illustration and design
for children’s books with publishing houses and magazines
in the Middle East. He also worked as an art director and
collaborated with advertising agencies and web design
companies on cartoon characters and backgrounds for
the websites they design. He has participated in several
exhibitions in various Egyptian cultural spaces and in the Dear
Japan project displayed at World Picture Books Exhibition:
Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Itabashi held in Itabashi Ward
in Tokyo, a sister city of Bologna in August 2011.
Yousuf Helou is a Beirut-born architect. After graduating from
the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, he spent several years
in New York working for a major construction firm. Now
back to Beirut, he is collaborating on various design projects
while teaching interior architecture at the Lebanese American
University.
186
187
For copyright inquires:
Turkey
Kalem Agency
Contact Person: Sedef Ilgic
Tel.: +90212 249 17 47
Fax: +90212 245 44 19
Email: [email protected]
www.kalemagency.com
Italy, Spain, Portugal and France
Book 149
Contact Person: Nadia Bettini
Tel. Italy: +3395662623
Tel. Spain: +34619151720
Email: [email protected]
www.book149.com
188
Rest of the World
Kalimat
Tel.: +971 6 55666 96
Fax: +971 6 55666 91
[email protected]
www.kalimat.ae
189
PO Box 21969 Sharjah, UAE
T. 971 6 55 666 96 | F. 971 6 55 666 91
www.kalimat.ae

RIGHTS CATALOGUE 2015

Transcription

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