Taghreed Najjar is the founder of Al Salwa Publishing House. She is also a writer of children books and educational material related to story books. She works closely with schools and presents workshops for teachers and children. Many of her books have been adopted as supplementary readers by schools in the region. Taghreed enjoys visiting schools for “meet the author” events and for story reading sessions of her latest books. She says, “It is an exhilarating experience interacting with my readers. I feel truly privileged to be a part of their childhood memories through my books.” Some of her titles have been translated and published in English, Italian, Swedish, Turkish adn French. Taghreed has travelled to many parts of the world to read her stories but now resides in Amman, Jordan with her family where she continues to write. تعدّ تغريد النجار من رواد أدب الأطفال الحديث في الأردن. تخرجت من الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت عام 1973، وحصلت على بكالوريس أدب انجليزي ودبلوم في التربية والتعليم وتخصصت فرعيا بعلم النفس. أول كتاب نشرته كان "صفوان البهلوان" عام 1978، وقد قامت بتأليفه وبتصميم رسوماته. بعد ذلك، نشرت لها "دار الفتى العربي" المشهورة في ذلك الوقت ثلاث قصص ثم قامت "المؤسسة العربية للدراسات والنشر" بنشر ست قصص لها. عملت في سلك التعليم لعدة سنوات ثم عملت كمديرة لقسم النشر في مركز هيا الثقافي. في 1996 أسست تغريد النجار "دار السلوى للدراسات والنشر". تكتب تغريد قصصًا مصورة موجهة إلى الفئة العمريّة الأولى 3+. وقد بدأت مؤخّرًا بكتابة روايات لليافعين، لاقت نجاحًا كبيرًا، واحتفى بها قرّاؤها على نطاق واسع، كما تم اعتمادها في المدارس كجزء من مناهجها الدراسية. تُرجم العديد من أعمالها إلى لغات أجنبية كالإنجليزية والسويدية والتركية ,والإيطالية. وقد فازت بعض كتبها بجوائز مهمة وأُدرج بعضها الآخر على اللوائح القصيرة لجوائز إقليمية،
بيت للأرنب الصغير, one of only two books that was longlisted both for the Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children’s Literature and on the Anna Lindh Foundation Honor List, is not just a book: It’s a book with an interactive CD that features games, art projects, songs, a dramatic reading of the book, print-outs, “wallpaper,” and probably more functions we haven’t yet explored!
About the CD, author and publisher Taghreed Najjar says:
We tried to make the games challenging and fun. The important issue for us was that we did not want to give people the idea that the CD would replace the book. We explained to people that the child would be enriched by the CD and it would make reading the book a richer and easier experience.
The seven-year-old’s two favorite things on the CD were the “build your own story” page, and the dramatic reading of the book and song that accompanied بيت للأرنب الصغير. The song, which comes from the text of the book, is fantastically catchy:
أنا أرنب الأرنوب … حزين حزين حزين … لو عندي بيت جديد … أكون سعيد سعيد … أكون سعيد سعيد.
But beyond its catchiness, what I love about this book is that it has an interesting storyline but is also easy to read. While the texts my seven-year-old brings home from school are not only dull, but littered with hard words, this entire book is built on repetition, assonance, rhythm, anticipation, and simple constructions! It’s not only a pleasure to read, it’s also possible.
Of course I want my son to learn new vocabulary, but I also want him to feel a sense of mastery and accomplishment.
The seven-year-old’s own review of بيت للأرنب الصغير includes raves about the illustrations (a picture from the book is now his father’s computer “wallpaper”), and he added that he likes it “because he finds Arnouba! It’s just a nice story. Every part of it is nice.”
لطالما طالبني ابني ذو الاربع سنوات مرارا وتكرارا ان اعيد قراءة القصة. اعتقد انه احب الاثارة فيها..الاسد والثعلب.. وانا احببت الفكرة..كيف على الانسان ان يجد المكان الذي يناسبه للعيش
Great with rhymes and introducing the different kinds of animals. The CD of this story is very much appreciated by the children between 4 and 7. Illustrations are great. A book full of life.