A Qatar University (QU) graduate from the Human Nutrition Department, Asma Jamal, has written a book for kids titled 'Food Adventures at the Farmhouse'.
Knowing about nutrition from the early stages of childhood makes kids more familiar with its concepts. This will help them "easily understand and adapt to healthy eating habits and move away from the tempting culture of fast food and its harmful effects on health. They will be able to incorporate awareness about healthy eating into their lives as they grow older", QU has said in a statement.
Asma said the book is a collection of six stories. It revolves around three children who spend their summer at their aunt’s farmhouse, exploring the farm and discovering new fruits and vegetables. Every day turns into a new adventure where they learn something new about food, nutrition and their effects on the body.
Child-friendly nutrition concepts have been incorporated into this book, accompanied by colourful illustrations to engage kids. Children learn about the importance of calcium and Vitamin D for the bones and also about their sources. It highlights the advantages of eating fruits and vegetables, trying new foods as children tend to be picky eaters, and working together to make delicious and healthy recipes even if it makes a mess.
“I wrote this book in an attempt to teach kids about nutrition from an early age through a storybook whose main characters are also children. This way, kids can build a likeability towards the characters as well as nutrition,” said Asma.
Discussing about her educational background, Asma said: “The education that I received from Qatar University was the reason that this book was even possible. Graduating from a highly comprehensive nutrition programme, with the guidance of the faculty whose focus is on building a strong foundation of knowledge, gave me the confidence in my ability to do more.
"From studying about the principles of nutrition to the nutritional management of diseases made me realise the importance of sharing and educating the public through different mediums. This storybook is a way of communicating my learning, in the simplest form, to the young readers.”
“The very first thing I would tell them is to just write. All you need to start is an idea. Then everything else will build on it. Be sure to do your research about the process of writing a book and publishing it. It takes a long time, from editing to illustrations, and a longer time to write a captivating storyline. It took me six months to write the story and two months to make the illustrations. So, give yourself enough time and don’t give up. The big question is: 'Why do you want to write a book?', and if so, 'Why for kids?'. No matter what degree you have, if you can break down your knowledge into simple words, and if that subject motivates you, then you can inspire a generation to be interested in that field through your book,” she said while advising graduates.