The “Yeraz” children’s book series presented four new books
As part of the “Yeraz Book” event, the “Yeraz” children’s book series presented four new books to its readers: “Skandar and the Unicorn Thief” by Annabel Steadman, “Mur and the Blueberry” by Kaisa Happo, “The Shadow World” by Per Gustavsson, and “Sing, My Little One” by Astghik Nadiryan.
The “Yeraz” children’s book series is a joint initiative of Newmag and the “Somnium” group of companies under the “Yeraz Projects.” Emphasizing the role of children’s literature in educating literate generations, in 2023, “Yeraz Projects” and Newmag Publishing signed a memorandum initiating the publication of the “Yeraz” book series. As a result of this collaboration, six books by Armenian and foreign children’s authors were introduced to book lovers in 2023.
During the presentation of the “Yeraz” children’s book series, co-founder of “Yeraz Projects” Angela Petrosyan greeted the guests and congratulated the project’s success and establishment. She noted, “A year ago, we gathered around such an important and invaluable value as education with our partners from Newmag. Knowing how difficult it is to cultivate a love for education and reading among children amidst colorful and often distracting games and gadgets at every step of information technology, we approach the ‘Yeraz’ book series with even greater responsibility, meticulously selecting each book and working carefully. Through the educational content of interesting and diverse books, we aim to cultivate and develop children’s love for education, reading, and ultimately literacy.”
According to Angela Petrosyan, supporting educational programs is central to the activities of both the “Somnium” group of companies and “Yeraz Projects.”
“The ‘Yeraz’ book series is for children—smart, inquisitive, and wise like our flying unicorn, which is also a symbol of friendship and wisdom. Today, I want to thank ‘Yeraz Projects’ for starting and continuing this important project together. In the near future, we plan to publish more new books. I also thank the big team at Newmag, who are beside our little ‘Yeraz,’ as well as our editor Gnel Nalbandian and chief designer Edik Poghosyan, who not only do their professional work but also always support the project with their right advice,” said Gohar Manukyan, head of the “Yeraz” book series, in her speech. Talking about this year’s surprises in the book series, she informed that children will now have the opportunity to acquire school notebooks with the main character, Skandar, and also with football players’ images before the start of the school year.
The “Yeraz” book series has brought a new culture to Armenia’s children’s publishing sector. For the first time in the Armenian book market, books have appeared with a 4+ classification—Ayb, Ben, Gim, Da—intended for the age groups 0-6, 6-9, 10-12, and 12 and above, respectively. Additionally, a unique font called “Hekiat” (Fairy Tale) has been developed for “Yeraz” books, which is easy to read. The books stand out with interesting illustrations and their symbol—a friendly, kind, and dreamy unicorn.
This year, the “Yeraz” book series has another novelty. In collaboration with the “Paradigma” Educational Foundation, special guides for parents have been developed for all books. Through the questions included in the guide, parents can not only engage their children in reading but also help develop their cognitive skills, thinking, and analytical abilities.
During the “Yeraz Book” event, executive director of the “Paradigma” Educational Foundation Hasmik Kyureghyan and director of Newmag Publishing Artak Aleksanyan signed a memorandum of cooperation to strengthen the established partnership.
Young readers and their parents learned about the details of the books during the presentation, where the authors and translators personally talked about the books.
The “Yeraz Book” event was accompanied by an entertainment show program. Performances were given by students of MIHRAN ARPI STUDIO. There was also a raffle during which children participating in the event won “Yeraz Books.”