Magic between the covers

Shahaneem Haroum believes that children who love to read will have the power to succeed in life, writes VIMALA SENEVIRATNE

SHE’S 58 and a grandmother of three but Datin Paduka Hajjah Shahaneem Haroum cannot resist children’s books.

She reaches out for one from a pile stacked high on her desk. “Look at this book – how colourful and well illustrated. The letter B – a busy bee buzzing around a bush and C is a creepy crawlie caterpillar chomping away at a leaf. What a creative, wonderful way to learn the alphabet and words that go with that particular letter. Tell me, which child can resist such a book? Not even me and at my age!” she says, bursting into laughter.

That’s not surprising when you learn that all her life, the president of the Malaysian Board On Books For Young People (MBBY) has been surrounded by books. In fact, books are her constant companion.

“My parents exposed us to books from a young age. They encouraged us to read, to be creative, to imagine, to think, to explore. And thanks to them, I discovered my love for books and took up library science as my career!”

She recently retired as the head of the Selangor Public Library Corporation after over 30 years. Last year she set up her own business to provide consultancy services to libraries.

She was roped in to get the MBBY formally off the ground last year, with her as its president. The non-profit MBBY is affiliated to the International Board On Books For Young People or IBBY (based in Geneva, Switzerland) which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.

Shahaneem’s love affair with books, especially children’s books, is clear the instant you step into her office. Three quarters of her desk space is taken up by dozens of books for children and teenagers as well as catalogues from local and foreign book publishers.

There are more books, brochures, posters and leaflets stacked on another table nearby.

She pulls out more books from the pile in front of her, flips through some of the pages and recalls a childhood filled with fairy tales and Enid Blyton novels.

“My first fairy tale book, Alice In Wonderland, was given to me on my fifth birthday by an uncle who lived abroad. That book opened a whole new world for me. Where ever I went, that book came along and I must have read it at least 100 times or more. Never could get enough of it.”

Her parents also encouraged her to borrow books from public libraries. “There was no television or the Internet then. So my siblings and I would spend hours at the British Council library. And we used to act out the stories in front of our parents.

“It was a wonderful education process – just as you learn how to read aloud, you also learn how to listen. You learn to read with feelings, you see yourself as an actor on a very small stage,” says Shahaneem.

Two months ago, in a move initiated by MBBY, the KL Library, in conjunction with Children’s Book Day, organised an exhibition of works by children’s book illustrators such as Yusof Gajah and Adi.

The duo’s works had won the Noma Concours organised by the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for Unesco in Japan.

There was also a forum that discussed ways of encouraging young illustrators to be involved in children’s books and the facilities made available to such enthusiasts at the library.

Libraries too can play their part in encouraging more children to read books by offering a wider selection and more current titles.

“While it is true that youngsters prefer to surf the Internet for information, libraries can stay relevant by adapting the technology as part of their services.”

She is also convinced that parents have an obligation to expose their children to books.

“Stories and children belong together. A good story can stir their imagination and help them make sense of the world. It can show them that right can triumph over wrong, or keep their minds open to wonder. It can even make them laugh which is wonderful for the soul.

“By teaching children to love and respect books, we’re giving them a headstart to succeed in life. It encourages and fosters creative thinking skills, promotes reading as an enjoyable activity, provides an opportunity for children to grow and develop mentally, enhances language and vocabulary development and allows for quality family time.”

Just as her parents had done, Shahaneem and her husband encouraged their son and daughter to read. Her son loved fiction while her daughter preferred romance novels.

There are books in every corner of her house and when ever time permits, she shares her views with her family about what she has read. She reads different genres – children’s books, comics, fiction, non-fiction as well as legal stuff. Among her favourite authors are Jeffrey Archer and Enid Blyton. The reading habit is also passed on to her three granddaughters.

“Reading a good book, be it children’s books or young adults books, will never go out of fashion. And although the Internet is a popular option for many children, it cannot substitute for individual creativity,” she says.

To further encourage young people to read, the MBBY is organising a three-day Asia Pacific conference on children’s book publishing.

“We encourage parents, educators, illustrators, librarians and policy makers to attend to gain insights into new trends as well as to learn from experienced professionals and to exchange ideas with them,” says Shahaneem.