Listen to silent books speaking volumes

54 thought-provoking wordless books have come from 20 countries around the world.

Running for almost a month now, the UAE's first Silent Books Exhibition, hosted by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), has taken children, young adults, authors, illustrators and the everyday enthusiasts on a fascinating journey into a world of 54 thought-provoking wordless books that have come from 20 countries around the world.
Showing in Sharjah since August 1, the exhibition focuses on silent books - on how books without words can still be books and transcend linguistic and cultural barriers to be enjoyed by people globally. 
Visitors to the exhibition are becoming privy to the techniques that go into the creation of silent books, the impact of illustrations, and the role visual language plays in conveying semantics, meaning, and ideas. For eight weeks until September 30, the exhibition is hosting informative sessions through which its visitors are gaining unique insights into the importance of a variety of universally relevant messages contained within silent books connecting with its audience, irrespective of the language they speak.
A host of authors and illustrators are conducting interesting workshops aimed at expanding children's intellectual capacities, strengthening comprehension while ensuring consistency with the storyline, and telling techniques of the books used for these activities. Additionally, these workshops are helping its young participants understand the important role these silent books have played in bringing home messages of tolerance and harmony.
Titled 'A Story and a Scene', the first specialised workshop in the series was conducted by popular Emirati children's author Maitha Al Khayat for 21 kids from the Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation (Tamkeen). In a reading from her own work, The Runaway Louse, Al Khayat ignited much creativity and eagerness among children to play with characters and build their own narratives.
Commenting on the importance of an event of this nature in the UAE, Marwa Al Aqroubi, president of the UAEBBY, said: "The Silent Book Exhibition is one of our most outstanding cultural enterprises; a source of inspiration to publishers and illustrators to create books that have universal appeal. We are proud to bring this exhibition to the UAE and showcase such works that have enabled children living in the direst of circumstances to enjoy stories and share emotional experiences with peers who may not speak their language."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 

• UAE
• Sharjah

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