Sharjah – School life stories a hit with pre-teens and young adults at reading festival bookstalls

Source: ‘Dorky’ and ‘Wimpy’ characters captivate young readers

Sharjah: Book series portraying ordinary school life or teens in fantasy realms are all the rage with young readers today, major exhibitors at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) said on Thursday.

Speaking to Gulf News at SCRF — running till April 29 at the Expo Centre, exhibitors said young readers relate to characters and themes which in many cases are slices from their own lives.

On the other hand, also popular are extraordinary teen characters overcoming immense odds in fantasy worlds.

Popular series among them include the Dork Diaries, Dairy of a Wimpy Kid, Percy Jackson and Geronimo Stilton — although Stilton is an adult, besides being a mouse that can talk. Books by John Green and David Walliams [sic] are also in strong demand.

The series are prominently displayed at bookstalls at SCRF, with prices ranging between Dh30 and Dh60.