Confused about which books to give to your youngsters during the Year of Reading? The National's Rym Ghazal and Zeyna Al Jabri, of Buzoor distribution, have these recommendations for tweens and teens.
Special thanks to Zeyna Al Jabri, of Buzoor distribution, who assisted The National in compiling this list of 50 recommended books for children of different ages to guide parents in the Arab Reading Challenge. For further assistance contact Al Jabri on arabic@buzoor.com and check the website www.buzoor.com.
Tweens
Prince of the Sea (Ameer al bihar) by Abdul Aziz Al Mussalam
Publisher: Kalimat
The story of a poor sailor who meets the Prince of the Sea and gives him his daughter in marriage.
Escape to Mars (Al Horoub ilal mareekh) by Mohamed Khair Al Musally
Publisher: Al Ruwwad
A sci-fi adventure that follows a group of friends as they understand space, science and physics through a trip to Mars.
A Thousand and One Nights (Alf LaiLa Wa LaiLa) by Wafa Tarnowska
Publisher: Kalimat
A collection of stories from the timeless Alf Layla Wa Layla, A Thousand and One Nights, as told by the enchanting Shahrazade, who saved her own life and changed ours through her storytelling gifts.
Juha’s Stories (Hekayat Joha) by Amani Al Ashmawi
Publisher: Dar Al Hadaek
Juha is a comical character of Arab heritage whose lessons are learnt through his mishaps.
Diary of an Ant (Yawmiyat namla) by Diala Arslan
Publisher: Educart
The tale of what it’s like being an ant — the hard work and patience
TEENS
Ajwan by Noura Noman
Publisher: Nahdet Misr
The UAE’s first full sci-fi novel, Ajwan is the story of a girl who can breathe water and air and rebels against the restrictions imposed on her as the daughter of Emperor Mandan and Empress Mandana, rulers of an underwater world.
Ubar, the Lost City (Obar al madinal mafqouda) by Manal Al Ghadani
Publisher: Kuttab
A fantasy book in which Maya discovers a strange world after she gets lost in the Empty Quarter desert.
Nadim’s Story — Autism (Hekayat Nadim al tawahud) by Sana Ali Harake
Publisher: Asala
The story of Nadim, who struggles with autism.
The Elephant’s Trip (Rihlat feel) by Huda Al Shawa Qadoumi
Publisher: Dar Al Saqi
A historical story about an elephant that arrives as a gift and the adventures that follow.
Kalila and Doumna (Kalila wa Doumna) by Nabiha Mheidly
Publisher: Dar Al Hadaek
The famous Kalila wa Doumna collection of Oriental fables filled with wisdom, adventure and imagination
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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