Sharjah 24: As the magical power of books and reading unfolds in the UAE with the opening of the 13th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) at Expo Centre Sharjah, children of all ages – adults included – are gearing up to step into a universe of unparalleled creative imagination with a vast expanse of books from 15 countries around the world.
From board books, interactive and picture books for toddlers to folklore, fairytales and new-age fantasy writing for young adults, SCRF 2022 offers a beautifully varied reading experience to readers. Fiction and new-age writing, horror, mystery, and science fiction continue to enthrall and develop imaginations while books that explore STEM and language concepts are making learning fun and enhancing critical thinking skills.
Fancy a superhero book where your child is the hero? Head to Hekayati in Hall 4 to get a customisable book in Arabic or English and discover how to make your child feel special by becoming the hero of books that explore adventures in space, the oceans, and on the sports arena. Titles like Sophia on a Space Mission, Arjun – What Will You Be?, and Ahmed Elali: The Football Star also aptly celebrate the diversity of cultures in the UAE.
Iraq’s Masabeeh Publications, on the other hand, is targeting three key aspects of early childhood development with Floof and Friends – an educational flashcard game that aims to develop cognitive perception, emotional intelligence, and social skillsets through structured play.
The enduring popularity of board games holds sway at SCRF 2022 where fun, clever, portable games for the entire family and sophisticated strategy games for 2 players or more make a formidable presence at Back to Games General Trading in Hall 6. Choices abound from the best-selling Dobble or Spot It! to story cubes, award-winning Hive Carbon and action-packed, ultra-fast Happy Salmon.
Puzzles of all sizes and shapes can be picked up at several stands, and in keeping with the times, look out for Virus, described as “the most contagious card game” and Pandemic, where every player must work together to find cures for four deadly diseases. In a novel twist, all players win or lose together – as they try to save humanity!
The festival runs until May 22, and along with all these attractions from publishers, it also offers more than 1,900 cultural and creative activities that can be enjoyed by children for free.
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