Egyptian schoolchildren worked especially hard this year. Now that it’s summer, they deserve to relax and have fun. But that doesn’t mean kids should tune out everything but swimming and TV. Experts say that reading through the summer months helps kids retain what they’ve learned during the year and helps instill a lifetime love of books.
But parents shouldn’t get too heavy-handed. Summer reading is most successful when it’s also enjoyable. A few tips:
-Visit local bookstores and attend their readings and events.
-Start a book group with your children and their friends.
-Instead of always buying new titles, encourage your children to trade books with their friends.
-If you’re taking a trip to the sea, pack books for the ride as well as for the beach.
-If you’re visiting Alexandria, stop in and see the Biblioteca.
-And, perhaps most importantly, show your kids that reading is important by reading for your own enjoyment.
Need a few suggestions?
Ages 0-2: The Earliest Readers
Babies and toddlers aren’t on break from school because they haven’t started! But they are eager to soak up new experiences, which makes this the perfect time to start reading. The littlest readers love rhyming text, colorful pictures and simple stories.
Arabic: A number of books by Eric Carle are available in translation. “Hal Lil Kangar Aidan Um?” (Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?) is particularly enjoyable in Arabic. “Ahazeej Nursery Rhymes,” written by Taghreed al-Najjar and published by Dar al-Salwa, is a wonderful sing-along series that comes with a CD. Kalimat also has published four cloth and vinyl books by Fatima Sharafeddine for babies who like to put everything in their mouths.
English: Eric Carle’s books are good in their native English, too. These include “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Karen Katz’s lift-the-flap books like “Where is Baby’s Belly Button?” are also available in Cairo and are popular with small readers.
Summer events: Baby “Story and Song” sessions at the Diwan branch in Maadi are on hiatus in July, but they will resume in August.
Ages 2-6: Read to Me
Between the ages of 2 and 6, children have their first, formative school experiences. They’re learning their letters as well as early reading strategies. This is an important time to underline that reading isn’t just for school, it’s for fun!
Arabic: Two of the most exciting translations to arrive in Arabic are Julia Donaldson’s “al-Gharfool” (The Gruffalo) and the newly released “al-Gharfoola al-Saghira” (The Little Gruffalo), both published by Bloomsbury-Qatar and widely available in Cairo. “Beyt Arnoub” (Rabbit’s House) by Taghreed Najjaris also a fun read-along story. Two revolutionary reads for the youngest children are “al-Watan” (The Homeland) by Fatima al-Madol and “Saeed…Saeed,” written and illustrated by Walid Taher. Both are published by Dar al-Shorouk and should be available in Shorouk Bookstores.
The Farhana series, written and illustrated by Rania Hussein Amin, and the Fizo series, written and illustrated by Walid Taher, are also geared toward this age. And children who like the Alam Simsim (Sesame Street) characters will also enjoy “al-Mofatish Felfel w Sir Ikhtifa al-Mooz” (Detective Felfel and the Secret of Bananas' Disappearance).
English: The classic Dr. Seuss books are wonderful for this age. These include “The Cat in the Hat,” “The Lorax,” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” For smaller budgets, check out the Abdu and Belia series from Dar al-Shorouk.
Summer events: There are many events for children of these ages at Shorouk, Diwan, al-Balsam and Kalila w Dimna.
Ages 6-8: The Budding Reader
This is a special age, as these readers are becoming more confident and are starting to read on their own. The early elementary reader also wants to make his or her own choices. “Mickey” and “Tom & Jerry” comics may seem more frivolous than a hard-back book, but they are a wonderful way for children to fall in love with the printed page.
Arabic: Children this age love to laugh! “Mickey” comics are inexpensive, compelling, and widely available. “Al-99” is harder to find, but also fun. “Ailat Heikal” created by Janet and Allen Ahlberg and published in English as “FunnyBones,” is just out in Arabic from Bloomsbury Qatar.
English: “Asterix” comics are fun for emerging readers, in English or in French. “The Adventures of Captain Underpants,” by Dav Pilkey, is also available in Cairo. Both easy-to-read and amusing.
Summer events: Children this age might particularly enjoy the “Summer of Arabian Culture” at Maadi’s newest children’s bookstore, Kalila w Dimna. There are also Adli Rizkallah art workshops at Diwan and Kotob Khan.
Ages 8-12: The Independent Reader
Pre-teen readers will have many of their own preferences. As parents, we walk a tight line between encouraging their interests and trying to expand their tastes.
Arabic: The “Qusa w Koosa” series, written by Samah Idris and available at al-Balsam Bookstore, are some of the most successful Arabic books for this age range. They’re funny and illustrated with wonderful collage-style art. “Fondoq al-Thaleb” (The Fox Hotel) by Mohamed Makhzangi, is perfect for the animal-loving pre-teen. Two translations for the revolution-minded are “Nelson Mandela” and “Mahatma Gandhi,” available from Dar al-Balsam.
English: Books by Roald Dahl, such as “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Matilda,” and “James and the Giant Peach” are a big hit with young independent readers. The “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series is also popular, and the Harry Potter books are even more enticing with J. K. Rowling’s new web enterprise, “Pottermore,” in the pipeline. Neil Gaiman’s books are also a fun choice for children at the upper end of this age group.
Summer events: There are many, including a book group at Al-Balsam for readers eight and up.
Ages 13+: The Young Adult Reader
Young adults are caught in a difficult age: They are ready to read “grown-up” literature, and yet they have their own special concerns about growing up.
Arabic: “Faten,” by Fatima Sharafeddine, is set during Lebanon’s civil war and is one of the best young adult novels written in Arabic. Many of Nabil Farouk’s books are appropriate for this age, including his recent novel “al-Tamima” (The Mascot) and his “al-Thowra” (The Revolution), which might be of interest to the revolution-minded teen. Teens might also be interested in subscribing to a newspaper to keep up with current events.
English: Diwan has a “teens” section that features many light reads, but also Michael Chabon’s “Summerland” and Nick Hornby’s “Slam.” The classics “1984” and “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, and “Tweets from Tahrir,” edited by Nadia Idle and Alex Nunns, are also good revolutionary reads. A subscription to an English-language newspaper or news magazine also might be interesting for teens.
Summer events: There are fewer events aimed specifically at teens, but they might well start their own book club, writing group, blog, newspaper or magazine.
