Jaber's Cookies

Jaber's Cookies is a contemporary story of the suffering of Syrians during the years of revolution and war. While the author was working on it, the 2023 earthquake in Syria and Türkiye happened, and the scope of the damage and pain tragically expanded. In a beautiful yet painful way, the author added this chapter from the lives of Syrians to the book, which is intended for young adults.

This text is very close to my heart, and I love it as much as it hurt me to work on it. Jaber, the main character — whom I enjoyed illustrating so much — is still on my mind, even though a while has passed since I completed the book. Jaber is a brave and compassionate boy, despite his confusion about what is happening in his country — my country, Syria. It is my first publication that talks about Syria and touches the reality that always haunts my imagination and my artworks.

In 2024, the book was shortlisted for the Etisalat Award for Young Adults — the biggest award in the field of children's and young-adult publishing in the Arab world.