Zarina Mohideen Hizbullah launched two of her children’s books titled Wardha’s Wonder Boxes and Hajer’s Day at the Beach at the Hotel Ramada recently. The chief guest was Educationist, Deshabandu Jezima Ismail, one of Zarina’s teachers at Devi Balika Maha Vidyalaya.
Born and educated in Colombo, Zarina started her career in government service as a teacher. Having a flair for writing, she contributed articles and short stories to women’s’ magazines. Motivated by her success she followed a course in journalism.
In 2009 she won the first prize for a short story in a countrywide competition organised by the Room to Read Foundation that aims to help and transform the lives of children. Inspired by the success, Zarina continued to write stories for children.
The stories centered on Muslim families are not only for Muslim children. They are for all children growing up in a globalised world to help them understand the culture of another group of people among them and to build awareness that while we have differences we have even more in common.
Speaking at the launch, Jezima Ismail commented on the valuable messages instilled by books to the modern day child. She spoke of the love for the environment that was being impressed upon the child’s mind through the stories. She also commended the high quality of the illustrations. Website: www.beebooks.lk, Facebook: Beebooks Instagram: beebookssl
Text and Pic:
Ruzaik Farook