QCERD released an Arabic translation of two children’s stories from around the world. The first tale, How Frog Went to Heaven, is recounted in English by Aaron Shepard, and in Arabic by Wasim Kurdi, and is illustrated by Ahmad Khalidi. The second, The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle’s Wedding, is a tale from Latin America, told in English by Alma Flor Ada, and in Arabic by Wasim Kurdi, and is illustrated and designed by Rawuf Karray.
These translations are part of a six-fold series of translations of world folktales to be used as educational resources for teachers, children and childhood professionals. The stories are taken from different traditions around the world in order to reflect a variety of cultures, figures and myths, and thus enrich the reader’s knowledge, especially the young. These tales were carefully selected to deal with concepts of freedom, justice, authority and dictatorship – subjects which are seldom tackled in local and Arab children’s literature.