QF’s Siraj launches its first illustrated children’s book at DIBF in collaboration with HBKU Press

Doha, Qatar: The edutainment series Siraj, one of Qatar Foundation s (QF) Pre University Education (PUE) initiatives, is launching its first illustrat...

Doha, Qatar: The edutainment series Siraj, one of Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education (PUE) initiatives, is launching its first illustrated children’s book, titled Yassin’s Kite, in collaboration with QF’s publishing house, Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press), as part of the Doha International Book Fair ( DIBF).

This release marks a new milestone in the program’s journey to provide Arabic-language educational content for children, aiming to simplify modern concepts and instill ethical and cultural values through an engaging approach that reflects the program’s vision of combining learning with meaningful entertainment.

The book, ‘Yassin’s Kite’ carries a heartfelt message of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, offering children a thoughtful and accessible entry point to understanding global issues around them. Through creative storytelling that considers their psychological and cognitive needs, the book aims to nurture humanitarian values and a strong sense of cultural identity.

The story, inspired by visual content previously presented by the ‘Siraj’ program, aligns with the program’s expansion into the field of educational picture books, an approach that merges learning with entertainment and presents contemporary social themes in a language accessible to children.

Authored by Sheikha Al-Zeyara, Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives at QF's Pre-University Education, and a specialist in children’s literature, she said: “Picture books are an effective tool for developing children’s reading skills, but they go beyond that, they serve as a meaningful and simple way to convey ethical and humanitarian values.