A story of a boy named Fayez

Story: Taghreed Al-Najjar, Illustrations: Reem Al-Askari. Fayez lives in his very own world, indifferent to what is happening around him, always daydreaming, which causes his colleagues and brothers to laugh and mock him, nicknaming him "Abu Srahah." But during the summer vacation, by chance, Fayez's artistic talents appear, and he wins the first prize at the art exhibition and gains admiration and respect from his classmates at school. Parent and teacher guide Often, a child is subjected to ridicule and intimidation by some peers, and this phenomenon may be due to the child's physical differences — such as obesity or excessive thinness or short stature... etc. — or because of some personal traits that distance him from others. Fayez is a dreamy boy who does not pay attention to his lessons in class and lives happily in his own world. Fayez discovers his artistic abilities purely by chance and gets the opportunity to be in the spotlight for his work, which changes his peers' and teachers' view of him. "A story of a boy named Fayez" is a story about success and discovering children's hidden abilities, blending reality and imagination. About the author Taghreed Al-Najjar is one of the pioneers of modern children's literature in Jordan. She graduated from the American University of Beirut, with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and a diploma in Education and Teaching. She worked in the education sector and then turned to children's literature aimed at the early age group. Recently, she started writing for adolescents, and her novels have achieved great success and have been adopted in schools for further discussion and reflection. Some of her stories have won regional awards, and some have been translated into foreign languages such as English, French, Swedish, Turkish, and Chinese. One of her most praised works by critics is the "Halezoona" series, consisting of ten stories, revolving around the six-year-old girl Jood, her family, and friends. The series deals with daily issues in a child's life in a playful and polite manner. One of her recent projects was collecting traditional children's songs and publishing them as books and digital discs. Taghreed Al-Najjar has published two collections of children's songs. The first collection was released in 2010, and the second in 2013 under the title "Musical Tugs." This edition was selected by the National Center for Children's Literature of the French National Library as one of the best Arab world publications in 2011/2013. Taghreed Al-Najjar is a member of the Jordanian Writers Association and participates in regional and international conferences. She encourages reading and love of books through story readings in schools, exhibitions, and workshops for teachers. About the illustrator She loved drawing from a very young age, as well as acting and embodying characters. She studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts and worked in animation film drawing. She finds her passion in illustrating children's stories. Reem Al-Askari received the first prize in illustration for her work on the story "Spring Star" by author Leila Sayyah, as part of the awards for the Children's Literature Development Project in Syria, funded by the Swedish organization "Ine Lind Euro-Mediterranean for Dialogue between Cultures" in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, and Jordan.