A Bahraini storyteller aged just 10 has authored a picture book about a delightful day at the beach where a boy goes on an undersea journey to explore the vibrant seabed and uncover the mysteries of the ocean.
The Secret of the Oyster, written by fifth grader Abdulwahab AlZayani and illustrated by comic artist Yaser Al Hamad, is the duo’s fifth children’s book.
“This story is pure imagination,” the young author told the GDN.
“Half of it came from my dreams, and I came up with the other half. My dreams became a reality, so in some way, the story is non-fiction.”
The new book, written in Arabic, is narrated in the first person and follows a boy – a character inspired by Abdulwahab – as he sets off on a seaside day trip with his family.
As the boy and his two siblings swim, build a sandcastle and collect shells, he stumbles upon a mystical green bottle and brings it home with him. Before bed, he wonders what secret lies hidden inside this mysterious object.
Soon the boy drifts off to sleep and enters a dream world where he dives into the sea, encounters a variety of marine animals, marvels at diverse coral and plant life, and rides alongside a pod of cheeky dolphins.
Suddenly, he meets a starfish seated on a throne and adorned with a dazzling crown made of pearls. Introducing himself as the King of the Sea, the starfish tells the boy: “You found the magic bottle, and now you’re a friend of our world.”
The king gifts the boy a seashell, and he awakens to find it resting on his bedside table, right next to the bottle. “Was it all a dream?” he wonders.
Abdulwahab started writing stories at just seven years old, when he was in first grade, after seeing a wounded pigeon in a park and nursing it back to health.
‘The Oyster’s Secret’ cover
The story titled Abdulwahab and the Poor Pigeon was brought to life by Mr Al Hamad, who has been illustrating children’s literature for more than 30 years. They have since created four more books, including My Mother, my Paradise, which sold more than 1,000 copies across four printings. The duo’s first English-language book, Abdulwahab’s Farm, was published in 2024.
The two collaborate when the boy brings his story and the seasoned artist turns it into highly-detailed, joyful art.
“The latest story took me back to my childhood in Muharraq, when I would find treasures while playing on Halat Bu Maher’s shore,” the 52-year-old engineer told the GDN. “The message in a bottle narrative is a classic.”
Mr Al Hamad explained that once he receives the book’s text, he begins the research phase. He then sketches initial ideas by hand before developing them into full illustrations and adding colour digitally on his iPad using Procreate.
“I’m used to working with professional authors, who are experts in the topic they write about and have their own vision. But a child’s ideas are easy to understand, and you have the space to choose the interpretation on his behalf,” he explained.
“What’s beautiful about working with kids is that their imagination is still very wide!”
An ocean-set tale is right up Mr Al Hamad’s alley, as he has a monthly comic series named The Adventures of Balul about a gregarious fish. Balul and Baba Yaseen’s Tales are serialised in the Interior Ministry’s youth magazine, Watani.
Abdulwahab’s mother, Ghada AlBuarki, told the GDN that she personally covered the printing costs of her son’s first two books and distributed them free of charge. However, his third book, My Mother, My Paradise, proved a commercial success, selling through his school and online platforms. All copies available at Youth City’s children’s market, the Young Merchant, were completely sold out, she added.
According to Ms AlBuarki, Abdulwahab’s Farm, the English story about the kid author’s grandfather’s farm, sold 450 copies after it was published in 2024.
The young author already has ambitious plans for the future.
“My next stories will be about Muharraq, Bu Maher Fort or Bahrain Fort – more fantasy stories related to the sea and our culture” he told the GDN. “I’m also excited to start writing poetry in school.”
He also dreams of becoming Bahrain’s Tourism Minister one day, hoping to showcase the kingdom’s rich heritage to the world and share his deep love for his homeland.
The Secret of the Oyster and the English picture book Abdulwahab’s Farm are available at bookstores.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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