Jakarta, MINA – Turkish author Merve Gülcemal enlivened the Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF) 2025 by holding a book signing and meet-and-greet event with fans at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).
Gülcemal, a prolific Turkish children’s author, has written 52 books, the majority of which aim to teach Islamic values and Sharia through simple and heartfelt stories for children.
“I didn’t immediately start writing religious books for children; my first book was titled ‘The Sister I Love,'” Merve explained when met by MINA at the IIBF on Thursday.
She elaborated that while many Islamic books for children are currently available, they often ignore the proper word choice and linguistic artistry needed to truly reach a child’s heart.
“We have to be mindful of how we explain things. Most importantly, it must be conveyed with love and heart, and use engaging language,” Merve stated.
One of Merve’s books, titled ‘Stories from Palestine,’ has been translated into Indonesian. This book encourages children to understand that Palestine is a side that must be supported, not merely as a political issue, but as a form of humanitarian care.
“After years of avoiding boycotted products myself, I thought it was time those products were also kept away from children. In doing so, we can mutually strengthen one another,” she explained.
Merve believes it’s vital to instill in children that Palestine is a side that must be supported. She hopes that such awareness, planted from an early age, will create a greater impact in the future.
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Merve, who is also a hafidzah (someone who has memorized the Qur’an), urged women to constantly improve themselves, highlighting the crucial role of mothers as examples for their children.
“You (a woman) bringing one child into the world might not change anything, but when you bring (become) one right mother into the world, you can change everything,” Merve added.
Merve Gülcemal is scheduled to appear again at the IIBF on Sunday alongside children’s author Noor H. Dee at the Lit Connect 2025 event. This session will discuss how the quality of children’s books can inspire the thinking of the younger generation and introduce them to big ideas. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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