One of Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press’ (HBKU Press) key objectives is to provide a literary platform for as many local and Arab voices as possible. To assist, the publishing house consistently supports new authors in finding their voices while ensuring that their creative content is distributed to as wide and relevant an audience as possible. Age is no barrier to this important mission, a point amply demonstrated by one of HBKU Press’ youngest and brightest talents to be showcased at Doha International Book Fair 2020. 

Among the eight new authors to have joined the HBKU Press family  over the past year is Dalal Ghanim Al-Romaihi. The 14-year-old Qatar Academy student’s first foray into the world of literature - Where Is My Teacher? -  is a delightfully inventive tale that is inspired by her own love of reading. The premise is simple: Dalal’s teacher is missing and the possibilities of where she could be are endless. What follows is a wildly imaginative journey that takes readers on a literary adventure where they are immersed in a new world on every page. Her mission is vividly brought to life by Nikos Yanopulos, a Greek illustrator with an already-impressive background in literary animation. 

Dalal is by no means the only member of her family to have been bitten by the literary bug. Her mother is Muneera Saad Al-Romaihi whose previous works include Manal’s World, Angry Majid, I Look Like the Moon, Monsters Are Afraid of Mama, and her latest title, Child of My Heart. The best-selling HBKU Press children’s author is rightly proud of her daughter’s first book, as well as her creativity, drive to succeed and determination to realize her dreams.

“As an author, I’m inspired that there are many children like Dalal whose love for literature is evident. I’m also grateful that HBKU Press so nobly nurtures these young talents,” Muneera said.

HBKU Press was delighted to host Dalal at its booth at Doha International Book Fair 2020, where she read extracts and signed copies of Where Is My Teacher? The big question is whether Dalal found her teacher in time? If you did not make it along to the reading, there is only one way to find out!

Where Is My Teacher? by Dalal Ghanim Al-Romaihi is published in English and can be purchased from the HBKU Press Bookstore in the College of Islamic Studies building in Education City, FNAC bookstores across Qatar, and is available on Amazon Kindle as an eBook.