“A Letter from Harvard”… a true Emirati flavour

Maryam Al Jaroni (from source)

Wednesday 13 December 2023 / 21:39

The literary community knew Maryam Al Jarouni as a renowned poet, but she chose to join the Dubai International Program for Writing, especially for Children, despite the difficulty of entering the field and the many skills it requires. Ambition and experimentation are qualities to be reckoned with in a creator, in fact his novel won the Al Owais Creativity Award. Best Children’s Book in the 25th session of 2018.
The novel was written in 112 medium-sized pages, which suited and satisfied the tastes of most members of this generation, which eschews the reading of large books and embraces a light diet of heavy reading. The novel is interspersed with vivid black and white drawings by artist Shaima Jameel, which add more fun and imagination to the novel’s content.
The novel consists of 10 chapters with the following titles: No…You’re Scary, Jupiter Came Smiling, The Art of Precaution, Friendship, Summer Oh Summer, Yadi Yadi Yadi Feelings, Crossroads, Me and “Tesla”, Flight and Beyond, The Harvard Letter.
The events of the novel revolve around a young Emirati girl, detailing the scenes of her life, among teachers and classmates, at her grandmother’s house, and during a summer vacation, the triumphs and disappointments that come with this life. Strong feelings with the first heartbeat towards the other party.
The language of the novel is very close to plain white language, and many words from the local dialect are mentioned in it, giving an authentic Emirati flavor during the dialogues in the chapters of the novel. The writer won. A high school student accurately describes the feelings of standing confused before choosing a science or literature major to complete her academic work. The author is able to present a vivid picture of what often happens in school radio stations. A reality that still occurs in most Arab societies is that only 3 or 4 female students are allowed to participate in school activities and events.

From what is said on the last cover of the novel: “When spring comes, the sun rises and floods the earth with its heat, and the little spherical buds open, turn into delicate flowers, and then into perfume bottles. Here, Alia takes. In a journey full of excitement and challenges, between the realms of noir and lavender, but not without… some thorns, Alia will introduce us to the challenges that turned out to be the turning point in her life. Details about her grandmother, her teacher Nada and her cousin Faisal. These influenced the formation of her personality and the fateful decisions that lead her to the best path.
There are many challenges we face in our life; All the roads we walk are not flowery and windy, but obstacles that lead us to green plains where the flowers of success and excellence are fragrant, crowning our efforts and failures with hope for a better life and future. Full of positivity and optimism.
We may fall, yes; But this does not mean the end of life; We may meet people who deceive us; But we shouldn’t let them bring us down, that’s what life has taught me.
Emirati writer, visual artist and sculptor Maryam Al-Sarouni has a good presence in the cultural sector both locally and in the Arab world. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Science specializing in Biology, and an Advanced Diploma in Jewelery Design and Management – Emirates. She taught herself art and then He developed this by enrolling in courses at the Sharjah Institute of Arts. Al-Jaroni worked in the laboratories of the Ministry of Health. Ministry of Education – Emirates, and has published several publications, including the collection “Grunts” and “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” and the story “My Father the Great Canary” directed at children.Besides his interest in writing and drawing, he practices the art of clay sculpting. , and has produced many works in clay that depict human life and its movement in life, work and activity.