A trilogy of tales that teaches young hearts to serve their community

Kalimat Group and Dibba Al-Hisn Municipality have created three illustrated children's books that invite young readers into stories of civic responsibility, environmental stewardship and the quiet work of municipal life.

Three illustrated books, written in Arabic and English, have emerged from a thoughtful collaboration between Kalimat Group and Dibba Al-Hisn Municipality. The series, titled Friends of Dibba Al-Hisn Municipality, offers something increasingly rare: stories for children aged six to nine that celebrate the everyday work of those who keep communities functioning.

H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, attended the launch at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, held at Expo Centre Sharjah in November 2026. The three books follow characters named Rashed and Mariam on adventures with their Grandpa Saeed, a narrative device that feels warm and anchoring, the kind of storytelling that connects children to their place in the world.

Each book explores a different facet of municipal work through the eyes of young protagonists. In Grandpa Saeed’s Library, written by Mariam Al Jamal, Rashed discovers how buildings take shape under municipal supervision, learning about safety standards and the careful oversight that transforms drawings into structures. Beach Guardians, authored by Noura Al Khouri, introduces children to the labour of keeping public spaces clean and marine life protected, through encounters with a municipal cleaner and inspector. Mariam’s Little Palm, by Nadia Al Najjar, weaves environmental care with local agricultural heritage, following a young girl as she learns to nurture a date palm offshoot with guidance from a municipal engineer.

The books are purposefully pedagogical without feeling didactic. They teach teamwork, respect for regulations, diligence and environmental protection by embedding these values within the texture of ordinary moments. A child reading these stories comes to understand that the municipality is not some distant bureaucracy but a network of people who work to make their surroundings safe, clean and beautiful. As we reported in our coverage of Sheikh Sultan and Sheikha Bodour exploring the currents of the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, this edition of the fair has proven a platform for cultural initiatives that speak to the Emirates’ commitment to nurturing young minds.

Three book-signing sessions took place at the Kalimat Group pavilion during the fair, with each author meeting children in November 2026. Mariam Al Jamal opened on the 9th, followed by Noura Al Khouri on the 10th and Nadia Al Najjar on the 12th. These moments of connection between writer and young reader carry real significance in an age when children often experience books as digital abstractions.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This initiative reflects a broader understanding within the Emirates that early childhood literacy and civic education work most powerfully when they are woven together. By introducing municipal services through stories set in recognisable places, the series encourages children to see their communities not as settings they simply inhabit but as systems they can understand, respect and eventually help to maintain. It is a form of cultural investment that speaks to how the UAE approaches the development of its young people.

The collaboration between Kalimat Group and Dibba Al-Hisn Municipality also models a kind of institutional partnership that strengthens both cultural and civic life. When government bodies and cultural publishers work in concert, the result can be books that serve both as literature and as quiet instruction in the values that bind communities together: responsibility, care, and participation in shared life.

Source: WAM