Millions of illustrated children’s books written by Idries Shah have been distributed across Afghanistan since 2006 by our friends and partners at Hoopoe Books. With Hoopoe’s support, ISF is now gearing up to distribute its own editions to Afghan children. Our aim is to put at least one copy of our books into every Afghan child’s hands. By doing so we hope to inspire a new generation.

The first of ISF’s new children’s books to be sent to Afghanistan is Speak First and Lose. Written by Idries Shah and beautifully illustrated by the brilliant Daby Zainab Faidhi, the story shows us what could happen if adults failed to resolve their differences in an intelligent, thoughtful way. More titles will follow later in the year, including The Tale of the Sands, The Horrible Dib Dib, and After a Swim – all made possible thanks to generous donations. These aren’t your garden-variety picture books. Funny, playful and hugely entertaining, they enshrine – in their characters, plots and imagery – patterns and relationships which increase our understanding, flexibility, and breadth of vision.

Children's Books - Scene from The Onion