In childhood, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid used to tell his brothers and sisters funny stories of fictional heroes. In youth he used to compose adventures, make copies of them on a typewriter and then illustrate them for reading by his family and friends.
{Next Month, April 2021, Majid Magazine, the leading publication for kids from UAE, will publish an interview with veteran Egyptian writer, poet and journalist Ashraf Aboul-Yazid on children literature. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, who is author of over two dozen books including novels, poetry books, travelogues and translations, has been one of the magazine’s writers; his famous contribution was “Majid’s Adventures on the Silk Road” which used to be published weekly for four years}
Children literature is important because it provides children with opportunities to develop reading habits and their response to literature; it gives them understanding for appreciation about their own cultural heritage as well as those of others; it also helps them develop emotional intelligence and creativity and nurtures their growth.
Sindh Courier is publishing the English translation of interview of Ashraf Aboul-Yazid.
Interview
Q: Tell us about your work in writing children literature, and how did you begin a career in this field?
A: In my childhood, I used to tell my brothers and sisters funny stories of fictional heroes. In my youth I used to compose adventures, make copies of them on a typewriter and then illustrate them for reading by my family and friends. In my youth I started publishing in local newspapers, before writing in specialized magazines for children, and I also work in them eventually.
Q:You wrote in Majid magazine, the most notably “Majid’s Adventures on the Silk Road”, where did you get those ideas?
A: Traveling was a great virtue of finding treasures worthy to discover, as I visited 33 countries, traveled between hundreds of exciting landmarks and destinations on the Silk Road, and spoke to real personalities who later found themselves in these adventures, and readers believed them.
Q: From your point of view, what are the main reasons for the adventures’ success?
A: The stories responded to the desire of the new generation to set off and travel, so these adventures blended past and present, combined geography and history, circled with imagination and documentation, adopted accuracy in describing places, and created amazement in the course of events. My adventures did not forget to add humor and fun, and it was an opportunity to learn about customs and traditions in various places with varying peoples.
Q: What are your most prominent works in children’s literature that you are especially proud of?
A: In addition to ‘Majid’s Adventures on the Silk Road’ with which I lived with for years, I also wrote an illustrated book tracing the journey of plastic art in Egypt through 5,000 years in the footsteps of generations of a family of painters. I also conveyed to the young Arab readers stories and poems from world literature, especially traditional Korean folk tales. There were tales and poetic epic from the Russian Tatarstan, as well.
Q: In your opinion, what are the elements that must be present in a successful work directed at the child?
A: Using fluent formal language, keeping up with the sharp intelligence of readers, respecting their innovative imaginations, appreciating science and integrating it into events.
Q: What is your advice for new writers aspiring to experience writing for children?
A: Drawing inspiration from previous elements of success I mentioned above, non-stop reading and creating new characters; adopting a different style that moves away from imitation, and the most important thing is to defend positive values such as goodness, beauty and courage.
Q: Who are the international writers in the field of child literature that you advise young readers to follow and read their works?
A: The perfect model for integrating myth and science into contemporary writing is provided by the creator of Harry Potter character; writer J. K. Rowling, but I also love the work of Sir Michael Morbagu, who moved from teaching to writing for kids. He presented dozens of novels, some of which were turned into films, thanks to their magical adventures.
Q: Finally, tell us about your new work that has recently been released or you will soon see the light.
A: My book (My Cat Writes a Book) was recently published, and it was nominated in the long list of books for young people at the Sheikh Zayed Book Award this year. The book brings the reader to the rich and beloved world of cats, and shows how the author helped the cat to publish her first book.
_____________________
