Hala Sarofim is Egypt’s very own bedtime storyteller. She is here to revive the younger generation’s interest in reading with a series of her own illustrated children’s books. eniGma’s Radwa El Ziki talks to the lady with stories to tell…
Once upon a time or as we say in this part of the world, ‘Kan Ya Makan’, there was a time when children loved to read books. Yes, books! Fairytales, nursery rhymes, adventure series and so much more that kept our children’s minds engaged for days on end, transporting them to as many different worlds as their imagination could take them. Then came televisions, computers, laptops, mobile phones and the like, and our children’s world was transformed. While the new technology no doubt opened their minds to a much larger world of knowledge and information, unfortunately it also led to the gradual demise of our children’s imaginations and the joy of reading books. Hala Sarofim, who just published her first illustrated book for children, “The Last Scarab”, is determined to bring back the joy of reading to our children’s lives, and in the process to enhance their appreciation for their heritage and culture.
Sarofim, who for a long time only saw herself either as a daughter, a mother, or a wife, always felt she wanted to do something different. She had studied Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and took some courses in art history at the American College in Paris (ACP). But after graduation her life revolved around raising her children. “But I always wanted to do something beyond that,” she explains, and so she did. Sarofim tells us that she always had a love for drawing but it all came instinctively. Never having studied drawing, Sarofim pushed through to follow her dream. “I created a professional portfolio with my drawings, I just wanted to expose myself to some constructive criticism,” she notes. Fortunately one of her friends had a connection to Disney Studios who gave her the chance to present her drawings to Disney. “They advised me to create a series,” she recalls. “That’s when the idea for my books hit me,” Sarofim explains.
And so for the first time in a very long time, a book, written in English, based on our own culture, was born. The characters, the drawings, and the subtle implications in “The Last Scarab” are all used by Sarofim to draw our children back to our roots.
Sarofim’s technique is different than that of many authors of children’s books in that she first draws her characters and then comes up with the story. “The lines of my drawings are all inspired by pharaonic illustrations,” Sarofim explains. Not only are the main characters eye-catching for the children, but they also have Egyptian meanings. For example, children get to learn that during the Ancient Egyptian times scarabs were popular amulets, a sign of rebirth. The book’s main characters, RimRam and ZarBoona, are inspired by Sarofim’s own children, she fondly admits. “Tarek and Yasmin’s personalities are portrayed in the mice,” Sarofim laughs.
Sarofim, who published her book herself, insists that all children’s stories are based on universal messages that we all hope our children will pick up. These universal messages can be found throughout her characterizations. Being generous, wise, kind and culturally literate are a few examples of the values that the book portrays.
“My ultimate goal in life is to start a “Wish Foundation for Egyptian kids,” she exclaims. Sarofim is excited that she is at the start of the road to achieving her goals. With the success of her debut book and nine other stories in store for her readers set to come out soon, she deserves to smile. We can’t wait for the next book in her debut series.