May 20th, 2015: Fun, entertaining and yet imbibing deep moral lessons, ‘Batbut’ celebrates the beautiful city of Dubai and its adventures through the experiences of a duckling as it learns the nuances of life and achieves its dreams.
Written by award-winning filmmaker, musician, writer and Dean at Canadian University Dubai (CUD), Dr. Franziska Apprich, in collaboration with Dr. Kathy O’Sullivan, ‘Batbut’ is a first of its kind book for young children, published in Dubai.
The book aims to encourage young minds to think, love and relate to life as they grow up. Children will connect and be mesmerised by the colourful adventures of the brave duckling Batbut as it explores the exhilarating and magnetic world of Dubai, while adults will relate to the character’s struggles and rewards of setting up life in a city of dreams.
Inspired by her own experience of moving to Dubai, Dr. Apprich created Batbut to tell a story of setting out into the world, daring to dream and explore, overcoming obstacles and most importantly, making new friends.
She Said, “My story is the same as many other expats in Dubai. I came looking for inspiration, and a new adventure, but not really knowing what I was going to find. It can take a while to settle in, embrace a different culture and appreciate a different view of the world, but ultimately taking a risk is a rewarding experience, and that’s the main message in the story.”
The book seeks to nurture children’s imagination and spark creativity, while teaching them to follow their dreams no matter what. Providing lessons in life, ‘Batbut’ also opens up the concept of the city’s different cultures and iconic landmarks – examples of what can be achieved with hard work.
Written in both English and Arabic, the engaging story is set to appeal to a wide variety of readers – young and old alike.