Kite story wins Dh1m book prize
SHARJAH // A children's story about an orphaned girl who rediscovers her zest for life with a little help from kites has flown off with a Dh1 million prize.
Teari Ya Tayara (Fly Away Kite), written by the 64-year-old grandmother Amani Al Ashmawi and published by Egypt's Nahdet Misr Publishing House, was yesterday named the winner of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, one of the world's most valuable book awards. A giant cheque was presented to the publishing executive Dalia Ibrahim by Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed, Ruler of Sharjah, on the opening day of the Sharjah International Book Fair.
"I'm proud my ideas and way of writing have been recognised," said Ms Al Ashmawi, speaking from her home in Cairo.
"The book is about an orphan who went to live with some of her relatives and met a boy who helped her to adjust to her new life and get rid of her sad thoughts.
"He gives her the idea to write her sad thoughts on a kite and then fly the kite so all the sad thoughts fly away."
Half the prize money will go to the publisher and the other half will be shared equally by Ms Al Ashmawi and the book's illustrator, Hanadi Sleet.
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