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Her record-breaking book I have an idea is on display at the Sharjah International Book Fair
KT photo by M. Sajjad
“I want to discover the talents of children at an early age.” Those words were not from an education expert, but from AlDhabi AlMheiri, an 8-year-old Emirati author and publisher.
AlDhabi published her book “I have an idea” on July 7, 2022 and was named “youngest person (woman) to publish a bilingual book” by Guinness World Records, she just turned eight years old. The book has sold over 1,000 copies.
Today, at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), she stands next to her parents at the bookstore and publishing house Rainbow Chimney, speaking eloquently and confidently about her book and her dreams.
“I have an initiative called ‘Children to Children’s Books’. The aim is to encourage children between the ages of 4 and 10 to write books in English or Arabic. My main goal is to train a new generation of writers,” she said.
Her journey as a writer began at SIBF 2021 when she attended a publishing conference with her parents. During the meeting, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), asked if anyone had any questions, and AlDhabi raised his hand.
“I don’t know what she’s going to ask, but she said: How do I become a big guy like you?” said her mother, Mouza Al Darmaki. Sheikha Bodour then put her on stage and asked her why she wanted to be big, she said.
“She said: ‘So I can share your ideas about publishing with the world’,” Musa added, adding that Sheikha Bodour, the youngest Emirati publisher, might one day come to speak on the stage.
It was that encounter that made her want to write her book, in which she recounts her journey with Rainbow Chimney – a bookstore that sells fun and engaging books for all kids.
She said when she went to visit her grandparents, she noticed that the whole family spent most of their time on the tablet, with no interaction between them, which she found uncomfortable.
“So, next time I visit, I go to my grandparents’ house with boxes full of toys and books. I’m sure I’ve colored the boxes because once you see something colorful, you forget everything else, and It was watching it. When my cousins wanted to open the box, I told them the only condition was to leave their tablet, and they did,” she added, adding that since then, when the family gets together, No one has touched their electronic devices.
She also said she made sure there were books in the box, not just toys. “I mean, if it’s just a toy, what’s the point. It’s unwise to do that.”
AlDhabi credits her parents with developing her love of reading. “Whenever I write something I’ve learned from a book, I write it out, and then my dad composes the picture for me.” Her parents encouraged her to write in English and Arabic, and to think outside the box.
Her mother said she started reading to AlDhabi when she was six months old — mostly about space and the universe. “I feel like I wanted to broaden her horizons from a very young age. I knew she was different because she knew the names of the planets from an early age,” Moussa said. At the age of 3, AlDhabi began to read, and six months later began to write.
Her mother also nurtured her creative spirit, saying the hour before bed was important to them because they talked freely like friends. The puppet show will also be hosted by her mother as an audience member.
AlDhabi’s dream is to encourage all children – especially those with autism and the determination to write and express themselves, so that they can tell their own stories. “Children may look different on the outside, but inside they are the same,” she said.
Reporter @khaleejtimes.com
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