Kalimat set to revive love of Arabic in kids through colourful children's books
Sharjah, UAE Kalimat, the first publishing house in the region to specialize in Arabic books for children today announced its participation in the 27th edition of the 10-day Sharjah Book Fair. Sponsored by ETISALAT and supported by Wesgreen International School, Sharjah Islamic Bank, The Chamber of Commerce - Sharjah and Al- Khaleej Newspaper, Kalimat will host daily reading sessions and art workshops at the fair
With the growing popularity of the English language vis a vis Arabic, schools and parents do not focus much on Arabic reading skills. Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, the director of Kalimat found that locally available Arabic children's books were of poor quality and mere translations of popular English books. Hence, she established Kalimat to develop a love of reading Arabic in young children through books that are Arabic in design and content with global production standards.
Commenting on Kalimat's participation in the fair, Sheikha Bodour said, "The best part about reading to our children is that it is so simple and has such wonderful results. It sets them off on a voyage of discovery that will enrich their imagination, creativity and language skills. It is my fond hope that Kalimat in a small way has helped to instill a love of reading as well as the Arabic language and culture in young children. Participating in such a prestigious event will help us to focus the attention of parents and schools on the wide range of fun and educational reading material that is now available for children in Arabic".
With more than 25 titles to their credit, Kalimat's books tap into the imagination of young children through charming and colourful characters. Targeted at kids from 0-12 years of age, the books highlight the Arabic culture through story lines that originate from the region. Topics range from educational stories exploring the milestones of growing up and parent-child relationships to ancient Arabic fables. The books are of superior production values and have eye-catching illustrations targeted at attracting the young eye.
Children can look forward to many fun activities at the Kalimat stall. Children's book illustrator Maya Fidawi, will be conducting an art workshop for children on Saturday, November 1 (5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.) and Sunday, November 2 (9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.). The author Abeer Ballan will hold interactive reading and signing sessions on Monday, November 3 and Wednesday, November 5 (9:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m.). Daily reading sessions from 5.30 p.m. and a workshop for adults on getting young children started on reading are other activities centred around the event. The Sharjah book fair will be one of the biggest events of its kind in the Arab world. More than 700 publishers from all over the world, including 26 Arab publishing houses, are expected to participate with over 29,000 titles on display at the fair.
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About Kalimat
Kalimat meaning "words" is a publishing house that is dedicated to the production and distribution of quality children's books in Arabic. Established by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi in 2007 due to the scarcity of good children's books in Arabic, the company's goal is to instill a life-long love for reading in young Arabic readers. The books are written and illustrated by award winning Arabic authors and illustrators for children in the age group of 0- 12 years of age. They have a wide variety of themes ranging from ancient Arabic fables to dilemmas faced by children in modern life. The company has excellent production values that are comparable to the best that America and Europe have to offer. Within a short span of time, Kalimat has managed to produce 25 titles with more on the anvil.
© Press Release 2008
