The winning charm of PatriciaAl-Fakhri's watercolours combinewith Julia Johnson's narrative tomake The Pearl Diver an outstandingbook for children aged 8 - 12.Saeed is going to learn how to dive -his father has promised to teachhim!It is the start of the pearling seasonand this is his first trip out on to thewaters of the Arabian Gulf. Leavingthe rest of his family behind on theshore, Saeed and his father join thecrew of a pearling dhow and set out tospend the hot summer months on thehigh seas. He learns how the pearldivers hunt for the treasures of theseabed, and discovers the secrets anddangers story, carefullyresearched from oral and writtensources - some dating from more thana hundred-and-fifty years ago - offersan insight into the way of life thatsustained the Arabian Gulf right upuntil the discovery of oil.

 

There are 58 pages in this book. This book was published 2016 by Medina Publishing Ltd .

Patricia Al-Fakhri is well-known as an artist and teacher in Dubai, where she has lived for over 20 years with her husband. She has had many exhibitions and her work can be seen in public places and galleries throughout the Emirates. Joan Hannam worked as a nurse and midwife in the NHS for 44 years until her recent retirement. She has been an avidreader and literature lover from her early childhood. Her sister Patricia, being an experienced illustrator of children's books, suggested a collaboration and Sharifa is the result. Julia Johnson is a writer and actress. She first went to the middle East in 1975, where she continued to develop her skills as a story teller. This is her sixth children's book.