Young creatives learn the fundamentals of the beloved Japanese illustration style, shaping characters that reflect their moods and personalities at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival 

Sharjah, May 3, 2025 

In the Comic Corner of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2025), imagination took centre stage as children turned blank pages into expressive Manga characters, exploring one of most iconic art forms. 

Hosted by SkillDeer, on Wednesday the Manga Drawing workshop welcomed children aged eight and above to dive into the dynamic world of Manga — learning the fundamentals of this beloved illustration style that originated in Japan but now boasts a global fanbase. Over the course of 30 minutes, participants received step-by-step guidance and all the tools needed to let their creativity soar. 

The wish tree at the Kiwi Stories stall at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival is the perfect place for visiting school children to express their future goals

Sharjah, May 3, 2025

“I dream of writing a book for children,” read an anonymous note on a wish tree displayed in the Kiwi Stories Publishing House stall at the 16^th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2025) in Expo Centre Sharjah.

The dreams, scribbled on paper tags and hung on the apple tree replica by visiting schoolchildren, are galore. Some are in Arabic and some in English, some are spelt wrong while some have emojis – but the underlying emotion is one of grand dreams for the future. One wants to be a “doctor like her mom” while another wants to be a Power Girl from the American comics. There are more ambitions – to be a businesswoman, a pilot, “a teacher to help kids read”, an animation artist, build robots, open a hospital to help people, and so on.

At the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, they discussed how parents can enable and guide their children in building resilience and forming meaningful relationships

Sharjah, May 3, 2025

Renowned children’s authors and educators emphasised that emotional intelligence and storytelling could play a defining role in shaping children’s emotional growth and mental wellness at a session “Fostering Emotional Intelligence from the Early Years” at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2025) at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Moderated by creative artist and lawyer Layla Mohammed, the session had Indian author Varun Duggirala, Kuwaiti author Sara Al Zhafiri Kuwait and Emirati educator Maya Al Hawaari emphasising the need for self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation in children and how parents can enable and guide their children in building resilience and forming meaningful relationships.

From folklore to the frontlines of identity, panellists at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival explore how stories shape perspectives across cultures

Sharjah, May 3, 2025

At the 16th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), a panel of award-winning authors and educators explored a timeless yet increasingly pertinent question: What makes a story resonate with today’s children?