Signed MoUs to sell 14 titles to Turkish publishers during the Abu Dhabi Book Fair

Sharjah, April 2, 2012 - Supported by du, acclaimed Sharjah-based Kalimat Publishing House has sold the worldwide Turkish publishing rights for Al Bint Al Saghira Allati, Himar Jaddi, and Ouhibou Aalami to the children's book publisher Erdem, based in Istanbul. The three books, which combine entertaining stories with moral values, will make a welcome addition to Erden's current catalogue of value-based books.

During its participation at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, Kalimat signed Memorandums of Understanding with a number of Turkish publishers to sell the translation and publishing rights of 14 Kalimat's titles, bringing the total number of Kalimat's books that will be translated into Turkish to 18 books.

The deal is the outcome of Kalimat's participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair's Professional Programme held in November at the Expo Centre in Sharjah that included networking events. These matchmaking sessions brought together publishers and agents from many countries, giving them opportunities to discuss deals that would ensure a wider distribution of stories having a global appeal.  

The three books are perfect examples of the kind of books Kalimat publishes in its endeavour to make children enjoy reading in Arabic. The publishing house is dedicated to producing impeccably designed and illustrated books which deal with themes that have hitherto not been explored in Arabic children's books through stories set in a culture that Arabic children are familiar with.

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Publishing House, describes the sale as a positive one for both parties; "Erdem Publishing and Kalimat share a common passion for making innovative children's books accessible to all children. And we both strongly believe in the publication of books which contribute to a child's positive moral, emotional and social development. We are very pleased to announce this sale to a publisher that shares our vision."

On this occasion, Hala Badri, Executive Vice President, du, said: "We are delighted to learn that Kalimat is taking popular UAE children's titles international. We are sure they will be received as warmly across our shores, in Turkey, as much as in the UAE."

Erdem Publishing holds similar values. Established in 1984, the Istanbul based publishing house has an increasing presence on the Turkish publishing market. Erdem Publishing believes that every child has the right to read, and that children's' book publishing requires expertise and diligence. Their current publication catalogue includes many titles focussing on themes such as virtuous behaviour and friendships. The sale of the worldwide Turkish rights of the books to Erdem Publishing will no doubt compliment the current catalogue at the ambitious Turkish publishing house.

'Al Bint Al Saghira Allati', authored by Fatima Sharafeddine and beautifully illustrated by Anke Rymenams, points to a basic tenet in developing self-esteem through the story of a little girl who spends her days giving all of her belongings away in order to impress others and finally realises everyone around her has found happiness, while she has not.

Fatima Sharafeddine also offers a light-hearted story on the importance of each member in a family and loyalty in 'Himar Jaddi', illustrated by Hassan Zehreddine through the story of an old donkey on Grandpa's farm who loves to sing, irritating other farm animals. One day, the donkey's singing stops and Grandpa stops feeding the farm animals giving them all aching bellies. Grandpa's devotion to the donkey who has outlived his usefulness clearly brings out the importance of relationships and loyalty.

'Ouhibou Aalami' instils empathy and raises awareness of disability as author Kifah BuAli introduces readers to a hearing-impaired narrator, who sees the world through very different eyes. The book charmingly portrays the contrast between the narrator's quiet, calm world and the chaos of the world outside through the story and the illustrations by Betania Zacarias. Children learn the vital moral that not everybody is the same, and that they must be sensitive to these differences and how they affect the lives of others.

-Ends-

About Kalimat
Kalimat - meaning "words" - is a publishing house 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 instil 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 from infants to 16 years. 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 comparable to the best America and Europe have to offer. Within a short span of time, Kalimat has managed to produce 100 titles with more to come and has won several awards, including Best Children's Book at Beirut Book Fair in 2009 and 2010, and the Best Publisher's Award 2009.

For more information, please contact:
Yousef Al Taweel
Account Manager    
Sahara PR    
Tel: +971 4 3298996
Fax: +971 4 3298995
Mob: +971 55 50 66 111
Email: yousuf@saharagcc.com
Web Site: www.saharagcc.com

© Press Release 2012