Children's Literature
- "My Own Way" by Mithaa Al-Khayyat
While widespread popular readership of novels and literature may not exist in the Middle East, the high literacy rates in most countries attest to the push for the ability to read. In this case, there is a wealth of literature for children to encourage and support literacy, especially in English.
The nature of the books also tends towards the usual themes of moralization and acculturation that exist even outside of the religiosity of the Middle East. Petra Dünges, however, collects and analyses works that touch upon themes and lessons that extend to childhood at large and what that means in the Middle East. Warfare and political instability are not the most generous of environments and Dünges lists works that, in their own way, address issues of proper use of power, oppression and tyranny, and trauma. Hulagu
Goes to School, The Oppressed Princess, and The Heart of the City exemplify these themes. There are also stories finding humor in growing up and the trappings of Islamic society, such as in the story of a girl trying to figure out how to affix her veil like her sisters in My Own Way by Mithaa Al-Khayyat. These works seek not to politically indoctrinate their young readers but to discuss real problems that exist regardless of politics or religion.
In relation to spread of English, children’s literature is also a way for literacy in Arabic to keep up with literacy in English. Dünges describes English literacy as rising and Arabic literacy as lagging behind, a statistic not easily apparent in the broader conceptions of literacy rates. Good Arabic fiction will close the gap as sure as good, imported English literature creates it. (1.)
The nature of the books also tends towards the usual themes of moralization and acculturation that exist even outside of the religiosity of the Middle East. Petra Dünges, however, collects and analyses works that touch upon themes and lessons that extend to childhood at large and what that means in the Middle East. Warfare and political instability are not the most generous of environments and Dünges lists works that, in their own way, address issues of proper use of power, oppression and tyranny, and trauma. Hulagu
Goes to School, The Oppressed Princess, and The Heart of the City exemplify these themes. There are also stories finding humor in growing up and the trappings of Islamic society, such as in the story of a girl trying to figure out how to affix her veil like her sisters in My Own Way by Mithaa Al-Khayyat. These works seek not to politically indoctrinate their young readers but to discuss real problems that exist regardless of politics or religion.
In relation to spread of English, children’s literature is also a way for literacy in Arabic to keep up with literacy in English. Dünges describes English literacy as rising and Arabic literacy as lagging behind, a statistic not easily apparent in the broader conceptions of literacy rates. Good Arabic fiction will close the gap as sure as good, imported English literature creates it. (1.)
---
(Header Image) Cairo International Book Fair. Image from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/cairo-book-fair-cancelled-egypt_n_816865.html
"My Own Way" by Mithaa Al-Khayyat. Image from:
http://www.amazon.com/Tareeqati-Al-Khassa-Special-Edition/dp/9948155378
(1.) Dünges P. Arabic Children's Literature Today: Determining Factors and Tendencies
(Header Image) Cairo International Book Fair. Image from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/cairo-book-fair-cancelled-egypt_n_816865.html
"My Own Way" by Mithaa Al-Khayyat. Image from:
http://www.amazon.com/Tareeqati-Al-Khassa-Special-Edition/dp/9948155378
(1.) Dünges P. Arabic Children's Literature Today: Determining Factors and Tendencies