"Citizenship" in Children’s Literature of the Arabian Gulf: between Adults’ Vision and Youngster’s Appeal

Abstract

It is indisputable that children’s literature produced in the Arabic countries suffers a defeat nowadays. A testimony to this defeat is that works, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Smurfs appeal more to children in the Arab world than their Arabic counterparts. It is questionable, therefore, why would children in these countries accept with passion foreign products of children’s literature while seem reluctant to accept such materials produced in their countries? The research puts it bluntly that it is “seeking the perspective of the child” that characterizes international children’s literature that makes it of powerful and heartfelt appeal to young audience. In contrary, literary materials produced for children in the Arabic countries make its motto: “what appeals for adults should attract their youngsters." The research argues that the conundrum of the ‘good’ children’s book embodied in its ability to “seeing the world through the eyes of a child.” The study employs interdisciplinary approach, to understand this methodology.