Book Comeback: Writer Hemra Shirov Brings Back the Fashion for Reading
The Ashgabat-based project "Crossroads of Arts" has launched a new campaign. A series of 10 children's books by renowned Turkmen writer, poet, and playwright Hemra Shirov was released just in time for International Children's Day. They are available in sets of ten, but they can also be purchased individually. These vibrant new books, in their native language, are a masterful way to make the most of the long-awaited summer freedom and save children from being glued to their phones.
The main highlight of this book campaign is the complete independence of young readers. The publishers deliberately set a record low price so that every child can feel like an adult and independent buyer. The books are so inexpensive that any child can easily purchase them with their own pocket money.
This is a true triumph for a child's self-esteem. For the first time, a child learns to budget and decides which stories interest them. A personal purchase instantly increases the value of the item in the eyes of the little one and teaches them responsibility. Moreover, because of the affordable price, children begin to actively buy these books as gifts for friends, easily mastering the art of generosity.
This approach has set off a chain reaction: reading paper books in the courtyard has once again become fashionable and prestigious. Modern children love aesthetics, so owning their own book collection has become an element of peer competition. Perhaps solving puzzles together on a bench and sharing books will become the main intellectual trends of this summer. Reading is no longer perceived as a boring school chore; it is now part of a progressive youth style.
Instead of sitting motionless for hours, mindlessly scrolling through an endless phone feed like a zombie, a child is immersed in a new world of literary heroes. Incidentally, it's practically impossible to tire of reading books from Hemra Shirov's new collection. The formats are constantly changing: one minute you're empathizing with the characters in a magical fairy tale or a story about school in one book, and the next you're solving a tricky riddle or a hilarious math puzzle in another. Thanks to the vibrant illustrations, the books instantly capture your attention.
So, the success of Hemra Shirov's clever literary plot against phone screens is a foregone conclusion. With a wealth of serious adult prose under his belt, the writer has managed to retain a remarkable gift: seeing the world through the pure and sincere eyes of a child. His style is rich in gentle humor, and his language is easy and readable. There are no boring lectures here - each story, fairy tale or poem is constructed as a small personal discovery.
The idea of a children's book collection became possible thanks to the active support of the "Crossroads of Arts" project. This initiative demonstrated that truly engaging children's literature can be accessible to every child and can be the highlight of their summer holidays. New books by Hemra Shirov are available in Ashgabat bookstores.
Anay Yolbarsov
