Najla Al Owais, Mariam AlJaberi, Al Zahra Al Jaberi, and Noora Anwahi here.
A 2023 SURE+ research grant was led by Dr. Myra Bacsal with her team members consisting of College of Education undergraduate students Noora Anwahi, Mariam Aljaberi, Al Zahra Aljaberi, and PhD candidate Najla Al Owais.
We started this journey in May 2023 with the intent of building a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) diverse picture book list for inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies, specifically covering books published in the last 10-13 years.
There are 17 official United Nations SDGs, but we took the liberty of adding three more categories, after reading quite a number of diverse picture book titles which we feel do not easily fit into any of the 17 SDGs. These are (1) play, imagination, and creativity, (2) bonds of family and community, and (3) celebration of UAE culture. What inspired this research is the naming of 2023 as the year of sustainability in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The first stage of our journey was to look for existing SDG booklists online and in libraries around the UAE. We found SDG booklists published by numerous entities worldwide, one of which is the GLLI UN SDGs book list, guest curated by Singapore librarian Katie Day, with contributions from 29 teacher librarians working in sixteen different countries. Also, the UN has an official SDG booklist published with a book club for children aged 6-12. Additionally, the Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore had an SDG booklist project as well led by Katie Day.
As vast as the online SDG booklists are, the team feels that there is a need for a list that features and centralizes picture book titles coming from the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) region, specifically Arabic titles, which are largely underrepresented in both research and educational practice. This is the gap that our research aims to fill.
The libraries we visited for our research were the following:
House of Wisdom (HOW) in Sharjah (see our #UAEReads post on HOW),
Mohammad Bin Rashed Library (MBRL) in Dubai (see our #UAEReads post on MBRL),
Zayed Central Library (ZCL) in Al Ain (watch out for our upcoming #UAEReads post on ZCL scheduled to go live on 30 March)
Abu Dhabi Children’s library in Abu Dhabi,
and the Khalifa Park Library in Abu Dhabi.
Visiting the libraries had truly been an enriching and interesting experience. Most of the librarians (especially with the smaller community libraries) were incredibly helpful and encouraging.
One of the things that our research team realized from our visits, however, is the stark need for an SDG booklist – consisting of titles that are not necessarily factual or information-based or exclusively non-fiction (which is what the librarians had mostly recommended to our team), but beautifully written and illustrated narratives that would move the reader – as there is no such booklist in the country that exists at the moment. This finding reinforced our conviction to curate our own SDG booklist and share it online in the hopes that it would be of interest not only to the libraries here in the UAE – but internationally as well.
To give you a teaser, we prepared two posts featuring books from SDG 1-10 (Part One), and SDG 11-17 plus our three additional themes (Part Two) from our SDG booklist that are: written in Arabic and/or translated to Arabic and/or written by an Emirati author and/or illustrated by an Emirati illustrator, and/or published by an Emirati publishing house.
And since this is only a sampler, not all SDGs are represented at the moment. This research is still on-going, and the final booklist is expected to be published by the end of 2024 at GatheringBooks here.
| SDG | Book Title | Languages Available |
| 1. No Poverty | Dream Seller | Arabic |
| 2. Zero Hunger | Alphabet Souq | English |
| 3. Good Health & Well Being | (1) Long Live The Sheen
(2) Aunt Osha |
(1) Arabic
(2) Arabic |
| 4. Quality Education | 13 Amazing Women Of Arabia | Arabic & English |
| 5. Gender Equality | (1) Women Of The House,
(2) Who Am I? |
(1) Bilingual – English and Arabic
(2) Arabic |
| 8. Decent Work & Economic Growth | Younis | Arabic |
| 10. Reduced Inequalities | (1) I Love My Mum’s Pretty Veil,
(2) The Boy Who Knew The Mountains, (3) Sukoon |
(1) Arabic & English
(2) English (3) Arabic |
Dream Seller
The Seller of Dreams, written by the Syrian author Mohanned Alakouse invites us to follow a young unnamed child and his father, as they sell colorful balloons to children. They face competition after initially succeeding in their enterprise. However, the young boy manages to make things turn for the better. Throughout the picture book, we see images of the boy’s dream, a drawing that he edits every now and then, but the realization of what his dream actually means is not apparent until the end.
While the backdrop of the story is the family’s underprivileged status, there is no direct mention of it – rather there is the comfort of family, self-reflection, entrepreneurship and love. Themes of money, saving up, and getting up after facing an obstacle are also relevant in this picture book. Agata Wojakowska’s illustrations come to life and pair well with the text and meaning, giving another layer of emotions from the colors chosen to the facial expressions of the characters.
Alphabet Souq
This picturebook takes us through an authentic Emirati market “souq” experience and allows us to reflect on the nutritional value, food security, and price of local produce. Moreover, it presents an exciting viewpoint about Emirati lifestyle captured from the unique perspective of the author Julia Johnson, a British storyteller who made Dubai her second home. She published this picturebook in English Language, welcoming people who speak this global language to come closer to Emirati culture.
This picturebook represents some of the core values in Emirati extended families by showcasing the grandmother taking her grandchildren to the traditional market “The Souq”. It also showcased the incredibly diverse international scene of the UAE, consisting of traders who are selling goods from Oman, Levant region, Iran, Turkey, India, Pakistan, along with Emirati sellers with their local food and products. In addition, the phrases rhyme in every page, and a comprehensive Glossary of Arabic words can be found in the last page.
The author Julia Johnson is from the UK and has lived in Dubai since 1975. Emily Styles is an illustrator from the UK.
Long Live The Sheen عاشت الشين
Long Live The Sheen is an Arabic title published by the Kalimat group (a non-profit Emirati publishing house) in 2013 and is written by Abir Ballan from Lebanon and illustrated by Maya Fadawy from Lebanon. From the clothing, jewelry to the textures and textiles, this book is a work of cultural art. It fits into SDG 3 as it highlights the beauty of the Arabic language and the invisible disorder of having pronunciation difficulties.
Aunt Osha العمه عوشه 
Aunt Osha was written by Fatima Sharaffedine (Labanese author) and illustrated by Hanane Kai (female Labanese illustrator). This book is representative of the Emirati community’s bond and its appreciation and good care of the elderly. Aunt Osha is a woman who does not ever stop talking. She fell sick and therefore, stopped talking. Her family and community members surrounded her and lifted her spirits until she started talking again.
13 Amazing Women Of Arabia
Thirteen-year-old author, Dana Al Blooshi, passionate about space, compiled a list of 13 amazing women who inspire her: a ballerina, an architect, a pilot amongst many others from various Arab countries. We find it important to have children be exposed to a multitude of personalities and the idea that they have a range of diverse professions to choose from, which is one of the reasons why we found Alblooshi’s book to be particularly relevant. As she introduces each personality, she also mentions her varied interests, from space to fashion, and this would help young readers reflect on themselves and their own interests as well. The book includes illustrations from several artists, and quotes from the 13 personalities featured in the book.
Women Of The House امرأة المنزل
Women Of The House is a self-published graphic novel authored and illustrated by the Emirati graphic designer Moza AlFalasi. The bilingual graphic novel was part of AlFalasi’s senior project for graduation accomplished in 2020, and the complete work can be found online here.
We found this graphic novel to be very authentic to Emirati women’s experience, being an excellent choice to demonstrate the 5th SDG goal Gender Equality which focuses on female empowerment, particularly in the UAE culture. The graphic novel unfolds from the past to the present with a personal reflection and resemblance of the author’s memory of her grandmother. The graphic novel breaks many stereotypes about Emirati lifestyle, households, and culture, while simultaneously affirming the deeply held worth of women in Emirati households, and their value as a productive cornerstone of Emirati community as a whole.
The characteristics of caregiving, resilience, and productivity can be gleaned through generations of Emirati women. The image on the left resembles how tradition and modernity intertwine, as we notice how the grandchild is wearing the same fabric as her late grandmother but rather with a different style.
Who Am I?
Younis يونس
The story recounts the tale of a youthful dreamer named Younis, his heart brimming with enchantment. As night falls, he ventures into an alternate realm, a magical domain unfolding within his kitchen while others slumber. His culinary creations transcend mere sustenance, blossoming into the most luxurious cakes and desserts. Crafted with boundless love for the village children, Younis envisions their joy with each savory morsel. Though subtly hinted through illustrations and text, midway through the narrative, we discover explicitly that Younis is a boy with Down Syndrome. Hence, the village children remain unaware of his role in bestowing sumptuous packages upon their doorsteps each night.
I Love My Mum’s Pretty Veil أحب حجاب أمي الجميل
as an admired religious ritual of womenhood and a rich cultural element for many Muslim women around the globe. The picturebook has poetic sentences and enriching illustrations to sing for the beauty of headscarves by the loving eyes of children who look up to their mothers.
The Boy Who Knew The Mountains
With the Fujairah mountains as the backdrop of this picture book, Michele Ziolkowski introduces readers to Moza and her friends living in one of the small villages, as well as the rumor of a boy who lives alone in the mountains. One day, whilst Moza is playing with her friends, she gets lost and can’t find her way home. Suhail appears, and his special gift of memorizing paths and villages helps her, and he leads her home. The author was inspired by her son who has traits of autism spectrum disorder and she wanted to highlight them in a book. The book is the first in a trilogy also available through Alhudhud publishing house.
Sukoon
Do watch out next week for Part 2 of our Arabic and Emirati SDG Picture book Library.
About the Guest Contributors for #UAEReads:
Najla Al Owais is a PhD candidate studying Math Education at UAEU. She has previously worked as a middle school mathematics teacher, and a freelance translator and interpreter. She is passionate about teaching mathematics, and is an avid reader, and loves finding the intersection between both mathematics and reading. She has a Bachelor’s of Science from Zayed University in Math Education and Masters of Arts from the American University of Sharjah in English-Arabic-English Translating and Interpreting. Wherever she goes, books find her. She hopes to one day publish her own book.
Mariam Aljaberi is an undergraduate student at UAEU majoring in Special Education with a concentration on Mild and Moderate disabilities and is a part-time SURE+ research assistant. She was born and raised in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. She has a passion for improving the special education system in her country.
Al Zahra Al Jaberi is a fresh graduate from UAEU, holding a bachelor’s degree in special education with a specialization in Gifted and Talented Education. Now, equipped with academic expertise and a heart for nurturing young minds, she aspires to make a positive impact in her field.
Noora Anwahi is an undergraduate student at UAEU majoring in Special Education with a concentration on Mild and Moderate disabilities and is a part-time SURE+ research assistant. She was born and raised in Dubai, UAE. As an educator, she aims to create learning experiences that allow her students to grow a life-long enthusiasm for learning.
#UAEReads strives to be reflective of the diverse demographic population that makes up the country of the United Arab Emirates (see Global Media Insight source of demographics as of 2024). Hence, we will be featuring literature coming from the major nationalities comprising the entire country: Emiratis, Pakistanis, Indians, Filipinos, Egyptians – and other nationalities who have made UAE their home.
About the Guest Editor/Curator for March 2024 [#UAEReads]:
Myra Garces-Bacsal has served as a teacher educator for 15 years and has led several research projects on reading and social emotional learning, diverse picturebooks and teacher practices, psychology of high creatives and exceptional people, culturally responsive and inclusive education. She is a quintessential lover and creator of booklists (see her Social and Emotional Learning bookshelf here and other publications below). Myra serves as the Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies with the College of Education, UAE University. She is a self-proclaimed nerd who lives and breathes books and enjoys organizing events and festivals where fellow nerds converge and attempt to joyfully change the world.
Publications on booklists:
Garces-Bacsal, R. M., Alhosani, N. M., Elhoweris, H., Tupas, R. (2023). A diverse social and emotional learning booklist for gifted learners and advanced readers. Roeper Review, 45(1), 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2022.2145397
Garces-Bacsal, R. M., Alhosani, N. M., Elhoweris, H., Al Ghufli, H. T., AlOwais, N. M., Baja, E. S., & Tupas, R. (2022). Using diverse picturebooks for inclusive practices and transformative pedagogies. In M. Efstratopoulou (Ed.), Rethinking Inclusion and Transformation in Special Education (pp. 72-92). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-4680-5.ch005
Garces-Bacsal, R. M. (2021). Of grit and gumption, sass and verve: What gifted students can learn from multicultural picture book biographies. In S. R. Smith’s Handbook of giftedness and talent development in Australasian Pacific (pp. 431-453). Singapore: Springer International Handbooks of Education. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-981-13-3041-4_18
Garces-Bacsal, R. M. (2020). Diverse books for diverse children: Building an early childhood diverse booklist for social and emotional learning. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 22(1), 66-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798420901856
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 
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