Thirteen-year-old Fatima Al-Baik has fulfilled her wish to publish her first book, “Book Planet” with which she fought today’s world of technology to focus on children’s literature.

Al-Baik grew up between a father who owns a diverse library and a mother who made a reading forum with the writer “Noha Farid” to attract children to reading.

The story of Al-Baik holds an awareness message directed to children, encouraging them to read since reading would be their window to see the world.

Fatima’s story revolves around a child named “Fares” who is lost between playing digital games and reading. the story try to highlight this issue and gave solutions.

Fatima’s mother, Zakiya Al-Abakri, have encouraged and supported her daughter habit of reading. She said that her daughter has been attached to books and stories since she was 6 months old, when she used to read stories to her. Fatima showed a great interest and excitement during that time. “giving Fatima a story book was more precious to her than any toy or chocolate, and she was very happy with this since she was a year and a half old.” said the mother

As she grow up, and was able to read by herself, she mastered reading. To encourage that even more, Fatima’s mother started to discussed the book events and topics with her.

Although she helped helped her daughter shaping the concept of stories, the main idea came from Fatima. The idea of writing this story book came from Fatima’s love for reading and her need to spread that love to young children too

 Al-Abakri expressed her concern at the beginning of the idea of ​​her daughter publishing the story, indicating that she feared that this step would require effort and constant follow-ups, but Fatima’s father insisted on taking the step with great enthusiasm, no matter what the cost is, and with an incredible excitement.

Fatima presented the story to her uncle, ‘Muhammad al-Baik’, because he was interested in writing, and then it was presented to the poet ‘Hussein Sahwan’, and both of them had comments and notes which they took into consideration.

 They expressed their happiness with the wonderful boost in children’s literature in Qatif’s society on the one hand, and the existence of abilities to write and draw children’s stories on the other.
The young writer Al-Baik showed her pride with this achievement, which will contribute in spreading the concept of reading in society, while fulfilling the dream of having her name written on a book.

 Al-Baik advices society to read and discover their talents, adding, ” I’m sure that there would be people to support them and make their wishes come true”.
She also aspires to publish a series of meaningful stories in the future.


A report by Maram Alharbi from Riyadh