At the 16th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, young audiences explore storytelling and illustration with the award-winning artist behind This is Not a Panther
Sharjah, April 24, 2025
On the opening day of the 16th edition of Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), children as young as four gathered for a session with Cristina Pieropan, the renowned Italian illustrator whose latest book, This is Not a Panther, made its regional debut at the 12-day event. That the book is written in Spanish, illustrated by an Italian artist, and is being showcased in the UAE says much about the festival’s reach – and its quiet mission to foster cross-cultural understanding from the earliest years.
Sitting amongst her attentive audience, Cristina’s warmth filled the room. “This is a real story – my story,” she told the children, her words lovingly translated into Arabic by a festival volunteer. The book recounts a young Cristina’s desire for an unusual pet: a panther, inspired by an old book from her grandfather’s library. “My family gave me many presents – a parrot, a kitten, a dog – but not a panther,” she recounted, her tale sparking giggles.
The session was far more than just a reading; it was an invitation into Cristina’s creative world. The storytelling session was followed by a drawing workshop with eager hands, ready to sketch their own menagerie of cats. Guided step by step, children aged four to fourteen designed their creations – starting with the face, adding ears, eyes, a bold neck, and finally, a tail pinned in place to create an animated, interactive feline.
In the process, Cristina offered a rare window into her craft. She explained how she engraves images onto metal plates – etching and aquatint on zinc – before inking, printing, and finally, delicately painting them with watercolour. The hands-on demonstration not only demystified illustration but empowered every child present to think, if only for an afternoon, like an artist.
Over the course of her career, Cristina has published more than 30 books and exhibited across continents. Her work has been recognised by prestigious awards, including the CJ Picture Book Award and the White Ravens selection, yet it was the delighted feedback from her audience that made her more appreciated.
“I feel so important here,” beamed Guevira Arfan, a 12-year-old Palestinian student, holding up not one but three handmade cats, each representing a sibling. Beside him, Zayd from Syria rendered his cat in a kaleidoscope of colours, while eight-year-old Latifa used brush-stroke-like colouring to create a feline.
With more than 600 workshops, live performances, and interactive sessions, SCRF 2025, organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), is a free-to-attend platform that celebrates creativity and a passion for reading, championing the belief that every child has a story to tell and a picture to draw.
The festival runs at Expo Centre Sharjah until May 4. For a full programme of events and to explore the world of SCRF, visit www.scrf.ae.