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HBKU Press has released several new educational books for children just in time for the new school year. The books, including Alphabet Songs (Aghani Al Horoof), My Happy Language (Loghati Saeeda), and Melodies of the Forest (Alhan al Ghaba), are available in Arabic and vary in themes that both endorse the Arabic language and encourage curiosity and creativity among children.
“These books are perfect for the new school year,” explains Jameela Al Mass Al Jassem, Senior Editor at HBKU Press. “Through our outreach work with teachers and educators around Qatar, we have determined that there is a great need for quality educational resources in Arabic, both for teaching and for enjoyment. These books were published as supplementary teaching resources that encourage learning among students. They add to the long list of quality works that HBKU Press is committed to publishing with those very aims in mind.”
Alphabet Songs (Aghani Al Horoof) was written by award-winning children’s author, Basma El Khatib. Readers are encouraged to sing the Arabic alphabet from alef to yaa to learn all 28 letters in the beautiful Arabic language. El Khatib’s diploma in Early Childhood Education and past experiences writing and developing children’s stories for broadcast television provide her with insight on how children respond to language and literature.
My Happy Language (Loghati Saeeda) is the debut work of author, Balsem Amura. It tells the story of Ahmed, a young boy who is bored by his Arabic language books and wants nothing to do with their uninteresting stories. But his mother shows him that Arabic is a beautiful language that brings joy and happiness, with each word and letter playing musical tunes that evoke hopes and dreams. This book was inspired by Amura’s personal experiences because, like many parents, she found it challenging to foster a love of the Arabic language in her own children.
Melodies of the Forest (Alhan al Ghaba), translated from Catalan, explores facts about different animals through song, poetry, and prose. It is the perfect book for animal lovers that combines fun and interesting facts with beautiful illustrations that are sure to educate and entertain.
“Nowadays, unfortunately there is a focus on teaching kids English and treating Arabic as a second language, forgetting the value, beauty and strength of the Arabic language,” explains Huda Al Yafai, Primary Arabic Librarian at Qatar Academy – Sidra. “I love how My Happy Language explores this very reality and can help parents foster a love and connection to Arabic through a relatable story. As for Alphabet Songs and Melodies of the Forest, these enriching books are valuable as supplementary teaching and learning tools because they foster creativity and imagination while teaching facts about the letters and animal life in Arabic.”
These books and the full collection of HBKU Press’s works are available to purchase in bookstores in Qatar.