Dubai: It is important for children to read. Period.
This is the viewpoint shared by two UAE-based children’s authors and a clinical psychologist, who believe that the only way to foster a child’s creativity and imagination is by teaching them the art of reading.
Julia Johnson, a children’s author from the UK, who frequently focuses on the history and culture of the Arabian Peninsula in her stories, said that children must be introduced to all types of novels, whether classic fiction or contemporary fiction, at a young age, and that parents should always be part of this process.
In her stories, for example, says Johnson, she likes treating children as detectives, giving them clues to the story and the freedom to unlock things through their own imagination.
“When children are taught how to love reading, they will automatically start using their imagination because they have to concentrate on every word in the story,” said Johnson.
Sahar Naja Mahfouz, a Lebanese author who writes fiction for children and young adults in Arabic, said that in order to intrigue children and encourage them to use their imagination, she always tries to keep her stories open-ended.
“Children must be taught how to enjoy reading classics and contemporary fiction because it gives room for their imagination to expand. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to find the right topic that might intrigue the child, especially those who started reading at a very young age,” said Sahar.
Dr Saliha Afridi, Dubai-based clinical psychologist and managing director at Lighthouse Arabia, a community psychology clinic, said that creativity, imagination and intelligence are directly linked to reading.
“It is important to note that today and in the future, creativity is not a supplementary skill to cultivate in children and youth but a necessity. A creative person is able to problem-solve, think critically, be innovative, make connections and synthesise information. A creative person also will be more compassionate and empathetic.”
Reading to children or having them read leads to many benefits. said Dr Afridi. “It improves their brain functions, reduces stress, leads to better concentration and makes them effective communicators.”
