One can conclude that children’s literature in the Arab world is attracting significant
attention locally and internationally.
Further ReadingAbdel Razzak, J. (1993) ‘Children’s literature in Syria’, Arab Childhood 26:22–30 [Arabic].
Abou Said, A. (1979) Development of Writing for Children in the Arab World, Beirut: Lebanese
Writers Union [Arabic].
Abu Nasr, J. (1986) ‘Results of the evaluation of 826 children’s books’, Arab Childhood 6:9– 11; 7:
9–11 [Arabic].
and Nassar, A. (1987) ‘Children’s literature project in the Arab World’, Bookbird 25, 4:8–9.
Carus, M. (1990) Children’s Magazines: An International Survey, New York: Carus Publishing.
Ghurayyib, R. (1981) ‘Children’s literature in Lebanon and the Arab World’, Bookbird 4: 17–19.
Kuwait Society for the Advancement of Arab Children (1988) ‘Writers and illustrators of children’s
books in the Arab World’, Arab Childhood 24:26–9 [Arabic].
Ramadan, K. (1988) ‘Children’s books in Kuwait’, Bookbird 26, 2:8–9.
A Note on IranAs a more detailed example of the development of children’s literature in the Arab
states, we can consider Iran.
Iran had a head start over most of its neighbouring countries in the establishment of
schools but progress was slow and there were comparatively few books written for
children in Persian (Farsi). About fifty such books are recorded as having been
published before 1950. There was a heavy reliance on translations from foreign
languages, and Iranian children were introduced to Western heroes such as the Italian
Pinocchio in this way. There was felt to be a need for books which reflected the lives and
experiences of Iranian children, and in 1962 a Children’s Book Council was established.
The great leap forward, however, came with the foundation of the Institute for the
Intellectual Development of the Children and Young People of Iran in 1965 under the
direction and patronage of the Empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi. One of its most
important aims was to improve the quality of children’s literature by giving
encouragement and support to writers, illustrators and publishers. In 1966 a publishing
section was set up and the first publication was La Fille de la Mer, written by the
Empress herself. Despite the deposition of the Shah, and the Islamic Revolution of 1979
with its subsequent political changes, and then the long-running conflict with Iraq, the
activities of both the Institute and the Book Council have continued.
A magazine for children, Keyhan Bacheha [Children’s Keyhan] began publication in
- At first most of the stories were translated from foreign magazines and bore little
relation to the needs of Iranian children but after the Islamic Revolution, it began to
include stories by Iranian authors about life and problems in both urban and rural Iran.
Articles and illustrations also reflected the hardships of the war years.
A series of magazines known as Roshd are. produced for very specific age groups; the
earliest of these date back to 1964 and were intended to encourage the reading habit
among children in rural areas. The content is closely geared to the abilities and interests
784 THE WORLD OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE