Dubai: Stalls selling children’s books are proving to be popular as the 36th Sharjah International Book Fair.
Parents visiting the fair on the opening day on Wednesday told Gulf News that they are keen on finding unique children’s titles that are usually not available in the markets.
Father of three Faisal C. from India said he is at the fair to find the best stalls for children’s books, before bringing his children later in the day. “It’s my first time at the fair; it’s one of the best literary events in the UAE,” he said,
He is looking forward to bringing his 11-year-old son to the fair. “He has a good collection of English books, and I think we can find a few good bargains at the fair. By bringing them here, I also want to remind them that there is a different world out there to what they see on TV or in video games. I want to expose them to the world of books, the world we grew up in,” said Faisal.
To encourage reading — as well as boost sales — publishers or exhibitors at the fair have also been asked by the Sharjah Book Authority to sell their books at a 25 per cent discount.
Librarian Mai Al Basandeeli, from Egypt, said she comes to the fair every year to seek out a range of interesting books for children, from kindergarteners to high schoolers.
“The SIBF is a great opportunity to find all types of books from every country that are not usually displayed in the market. As a librarian, I am looking mainly for Arabic books for children in all genres — and this is the place to find them at amazing prices,” said Al Basandeeli.
Her children thoroughly enjoyed the variety of children’s reading activities last year and were encouraged to read and write stories after meeting different authors.
Similar pursuits brought Razan Al Joudi from Syria to the book fair to buy Arabic books for her two little girls.
“The fair is a good chance for me to see the variety of books from different countries, especially Arabic titles, as the market lacks this quantity and quality of books,” she said.
She makes sure that her two daughters, aged five and seven, read daily for at least half an hour, if not an hour before bedtime.
Suha Odah from Egypt said she’s visiting the fair to find books for herself and her nephews.
“I am looking for specific books on poetry, self-development and novels. I am also looking for books for my nephews with whom I read daily. I started this habit with them around a year ago and I can see a big change in the way they think and what they want,” said Odah.
A proud aunt, Odah said she was reassured when her nephews started asking her for books instead of chocolates.
Another visitor at the fair, Yasmine Khalaf, from Palestine, said she is a big reader and visits the book fair every year with a list of new titles. “I like being around book stalls because it’s an environment that encourages reading. This year my interest is in self-development books,” she said.
The SIBF will see the participation of 1,650 publishing houses from 60 countries, and more than 1.5 million titles are on display.
The proportion of stands selling English books, including other non-Arabic books, has reached 45 per cent at the fair. Novels continue to dominate purchases.
