The "Yeraz" series unveiled four new books at the "Book of Yeraz: New Heroes" children's festival (photos)

The "Yeraz" series of Newmag Publishing House and Yeraz Projects presented 4 new books and new heroes by foreign and Armenian authors on May 18.

• Annabel Steadman: "Skandar and the Unicorn Thief"
• Astghik Nadiryan. "Do Nanik, My Baby"
• Kaisa Happonen, Anne Vasco. "Mru Mru and Berry"
• Per Gustavsson. "The Shadow World"

Angela Petrosyan, the co-founder of Yeraz Projects, said that education is very important in the Somnium Group of Companies concept. "Given the significant challenge of fostering a love for reading amidst the prevalence of gadgets and colorful, distracting games, we approach the "Yeraz" series with great responsibility alongside our partners.

We meticulously select the books, recognizing the crucial role they play. As a mother of three children, I firmly believe that cultivating a passion for reading begins in early childhood. Each of us contributes significantly to nurturing the educated generation of tomorrow. Projects like this are instrumental in achieving our goals and mission, forming the foundation of our collaboration."

Gohar Manukyan, head of the "Yeraz" series, emphasized that they do not publish many children's books in a year, because they choose each book with great responsibility. "It's a significant responsibility for us to prepare for this day as we curate the series, creating books that our children will enjoy, and meticulously selecting the best options for them.

The symbol of the "Yeraz" series is the Unicorn, representing friendship, loyalty, and a love for reading. We aim for children who read "Yeraz" books to embody these qualities and develop a fondness for reading. Additionally, we've prepared notebooks featuring the character "Skandar" - they are both convenient and soft, perfect for tackling seemingly challenging problems. Furthermore, we'll introduce notebooks adorned with images of football players over the summer, which we believe will also be a hit for our young readers."

One of the four books in the "Yeraz" series is about parenting. The author is Astghik Nadiryan, the first certified sleep specialist in Armenia. Her book was re-edited, revised and published under the new title "Nanik Ara, My Baby". "Thanks to Gnel Nalbandian, the book was re-edited, and new and beautiful words were added. I have fallen in love with the word "sleepover". And now that word is an inseparable part of my daily life. There is also a guide in the book, which is a shorter version if you don't have time, you can skim it.

A little advice for parents reading this book: never try to fit your child into the book, always adapt the book to your child. I have tried to collect tools for you, which will first hug you from the day the baby is born, and then give you the practical advice that will bring your family a peaceful, sweet sleep."

This year, the "Dream" series has another important novelty. There are special guidelines in children's books that will help parents and professionals working with children of preschool age to make reading more interesting and effective. The guidelines are prepared by the "Paradigma" Educational Foundation. Newmag Publishing House signed a memorandum of cooperation with the foundation.

Hasmik Kyureghyan, the executive director of the "Paradigma" Educational Foundation, told how they chose the books. "The beginning of this partnership, which was established today, is not only to choose quality books, but also to help parents. There are literacy categories in the guides, they will help make reading more interesting and effective. There are three categories in tabs. linguistic, mathematical and social-emotional".

The book "Skandar and the Unicorn Thief" is a world bestseller, it has been translated into 46 languages. A film will also be shot this year. Nare Harutyunyan, the translator of the book, hopes that the Armenian edition will also be successful and will have many readers. "The unicorns in the book have very interesting names. It was difficult to translate their names, but we worked long and hard and came up with very nice ones. We named the main unicorn "Shuno". Translated from English, his name meant "dog luck". Our unicorn is like that, it overcomes all trials, that's why we chose the name "Shuno".

The musical performances and dances at the event were presented by the students of MIHRAN ARPI STUDIO, founded by Mihran Tsarukyan and Arpi Gabrielyan in 2021. The school's students range in age from 5 to 25 years old and regularly participate in prestigious international competitions, earning them numerous honorary awards.

Every child received surprise gifts through a delightful lottery draw at the "Book of Yeraz: New Heroes" event. Various gifts were selected from the magical drum, including stickers, notebooks, and color albums featuring beloved "Yeraz" characters. Children also received notebooks featuring characters from the series, a book from the "Paradigma" Educational Foundation, and delightful sweets from Daroink, one of Armenia's premier confectionery companies. With a 26-year legacy, Daroink has prioritized excellence in its products' quality and taste.