Session at Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival led by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children takes young students through a heartwarming story that teaches values of self-worth, diversity, and embracing differences
Sharjah, May 3, 2025
A simple pencil took centre stage at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) 2025, as children gathered to listen to a powerful tale of self-discovery, difference, and acceptance.
Written by Sabah Deebi, illustrated by Hussein Al Rabaie, and translated by Sarah Abdullah, “The Pencil Who Found Himself” follows a pencil that feels excluded by a more colourful group of crayons, paintbrushes, and markers. The pencil’s emotional journey through a carpenter’s shop unfolds as a metaphor for embracing one’s unique purpose and strength.
Presented by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, the storytelling session was part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about bullying and diversity in subtle, child-friendly ways. “The objective was to highlight the experience of being different without explicitly using the word ‘bullying,’” explained Fatima AlBloushi, case manager at the foundation. “By using the pencil as a symbol, our intention was to help children understand that we all have our own strengths, even if we don’t look or act the same. It’s about learning to celebrate and embrace each other’s differences.”
She added, “Books like these open up conversations. Children see themselves in the pencil – uncertain at first, but full of potential. It’s a reminder that everyone belongs.”
The session clearly struck a chord with young listeners. “I felt bad for the pencil at the start, but I liked how he found what he could do best,” said Maktoum Mohammad, a seven-year-old Emirati student of Sharjah’s Al Qarayen School.
“It made me think we don’t all have to be the same to be friends,” added Hessa Omar, also 7 and a student of the same school.
The workshop will continue on May 1 from 10am to 12pm, offering more children the chance to engage with a story that champions empathy, resilience, and self-worth – values that lie at the heart of SCRF’s mission.
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