From day one on her career journey, she has been obsessed with communicating with children, exploring what is pre-occupying their minds. She discovered the unique power of storytelling which is crucial part of early childhood education and beyond. The genuine zeal for children literature has enabled children’s author Samah Abu Bakr Ezzat to leave her mark, turning her books and stories into windows that offer children views of worlds surrounding them.
“Children’s literature is like a
sky without limits,” Ezzat told the Egyptian Mail.
This kind of literature, she went on, can modify children’s behaviour, discuss the problems facing them, and protect them from any misconceptions.
“Through children’s engagement with stories, they can learn about the history of their own cultures, as well as that of the broader community,” she said.
The inspiring Ezzat is also the presenter of the television show Mama Samah Stories that is etched into children’s memories with the myriad of stories presented in it. Ezzat has more than 40 publications for children with many publishing houses in Egypt and abroad on her bibliography. Her writings have received widespread admiration and many awards including The Golden Award for screenwriting from the Arab Creativity Festival for the TV series Aladdin and the treasure of Grandfather Amin.
She is also the winner of children’s literature award at Cairo International Book Fair 2022 for her story A Canal that does not know the impossible about the flotation of the container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal.
“This story garnered the admiration of children since it came out way beyond my expectations,” she said. This prompted Ezzat to ask Suez Canal Authority chairman Osama Rabie to organise a competition for schoolchildren to write stories about Suez Canal. The competition was launched under the title ‘The Canal through Their Eyes’.
“The competition’s age category is from seven years old. We have received 58 impressive works by children. We held major concert to honour all the participants,” she said.
Last week, Ezzat met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in the presence of Culture Minister Inas Abdel Dayem.
“This has never happened before. I am super honoured. The keenness of the president to meet a writer specialising in children’s literature reflects the due care that the state attaches to children and the content presented to them. This is in line with the president’s vision to invest in children as part of investing in the future,” she commented.
Ezzat pointed out that the appreciation that her writings have received encouraged her to intensify efforts in the coming period in the field of national literature for children. In this regard, she referred to her recent literary project titled ‘Hayah and Kareema’, inspired by the Decent Life Initiative. Through two girls called Haya and Karima, the author presents the achievements and goals of the initiative in a simple and attractive way for children.
“Since launching this story in the Cairo International Book Fair, I have been receiving positive feedback from many school students who decided to take part in the initiative after reading the story. Some students went to nearby districts that need help, offering clothes, toys and other items. This impressed me a lot,” she added.
Ezzat also pointed out that the upcoming period will witness co-operation with both ministries of culture and emigration.
“It is also very important to engage Egyptian children living abroad. Children’s literature in the early stages of learning has a forming and socialising function. It helps keep children’s identity besides instilling in them lifelong loyalty to their country. It has the power to promote positive emotions and moral development,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Ezzat said the explosion of apps and games is a key challenge facing writers of children’s literature.
“It is a big challenge to attract children to reading a story. The story’s title should be creative. Children are curious. So, the writer should know how to arouse their curiosity to attract them to read the story. This is very challenging,” she said.
Ezzat also emphasised the importance of dealing with national issues through children’s literature.
“It is very important to keep them abreast of the achievements being implemented on real ground but in a catchy way,” she said.
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