Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) and Al Jazeera Childrens Channel (JCC) launched today the first series of books for preschoolers featuring the magical world of Fafa and her friends, at the first Doha International Childrens Book Festival, being held at the Qatar International Exhibition Centre till 4 December 2010.
Malika Alouane, Director of Programming of Al Jazeera Childrens Channel and Baraem TV stated: Today marks a new milestone in the life of JCC as we expand our contents footprint into the publishing industry. As an edutainment TV channel, we are committed to providing our viewers with safe and educational content across all platforms, and more importantly to encouraging them to develop their mental abilities and expand their vocabulary in Arabic and other languages. She added, We encourage mothers, care-takers, and nursery teachers to read to children in order to foster a love for reading.
Written by one of the UKs best childrens writers and beautifully illustrated, the Fafa and Friends books are a wonderful example of Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishings commitment to producing books of excellence in English and Arabic for the children of the region said Anne Renahan, Managing Editor at BQFP.
FaFa and her friends Moumou, Oti and Douka offer a daily set of segments on Baraem TV designed to add rhythm to childrens lives, provide caring advice on appropriate behaviour, and place them in a stimulating and educative environment full of new information to nurture their curiosity. FaFa and her friends are the central characters in the various adventures featured in the four illustrated books that will bring additional exploration to the readers.
The titles are part of BQFPs commitment to developing quality, original work in Arabic and English to inspire a love of reading at an early age. The series author, Sally Grindley, and illustrator, are in Qatar for the launch and are conducting workshops in the literary festival attended by children from independent schools and co-sponsored by the SEC.