The ‘Books – Made in UAE’ project, organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People, UAEBBY, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, has inspired 10 Emirati authors to rewrite a number of folktales for children.

The 18 heritage-themed stories mark the conclusion of the second phase of the sixth edition of the programme, which was held at the Maraya Art Centre.

The various editions of the initiative support the development of a sustainable local children’s book industry by training young and aspiring authors and illustrators in the creative process of producing Emirati children’s books.

This year’s edition of the ‘Books – Made in UAE’ project focussed on folktales, with the aim of reviving Emirati folktales and highlighting the UAE’s rich heritage and authentic customs.

The first phase of the sixth edition, sponsored by Knowledge without Borders, a Sharjah-based cultural initiative, was hosted at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.

The authors put together a collection of 18 stories inspired by Emirati folklore under the supervision of well-known German children’s book author and illustrator Ute Krause, who worked with them to develop their writing skills.

Krause mentored the ten authors during a workshop that was conducted to help them bring their stories to life in a creative and imaginative way.

Krause also met with Emirati illustrator Abdullah Al Sharhan at a separate workshop, where they discussed ideas for illustrations for the folktale collection. The writers drew on Al Sharhan’s vast experience to ensure the integrity of the content and illustrations so as to capture the attention of young readers.

Prior to the workshops, reading sessions involving the stories were conducted at the UAEBBY pavilion at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The sessions saw the writers receiving feedback from the children and making necessary amendments before finalising the stories and offering them to publishers.

The stories will be revealed during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018. UAEBBY and the Goethe-Institut will monitor the process of presenting the folktales collection to local and Arab publishing houses to facilitate their productions and publishing.