Jad has been training for the school’s upcoming running competition. He is confident he will win the race, but when the time comes, he finds himself up against fierce competitors. Will Jad succeed in achieving his dream and winning first place? An excellent story to engage children in conversation about resilience in the face of setbacks.

Related

Zozo’s Potty
When the time comes for Zuzu to be potty trained, Mama buys him a shiny blue potty. Fustoq accompanies Zuzu in his many failed attempts at "doing" it in the right place. What will help Zuzu succeed?

Who Took My Sandwich?
Every morning Mama prepares tasty fun looking sandwiches for Jad and Tala’s lunchboxes. One day the sandwiches start to mysteriously disappear from Jad’s lunchbox and are replaced by other sandwiches. Jad thinks of a plan to uncover the mystery of the missing sandwiches. What is his plan, and will it…

The Bubble Gum Balloon
Jad and Jalal embark on a fun competition to see who can blow the biggest bubblegum balloon. When the contest is over, they toss their giant gums into the trash—only for Fustaq to find it and turn it into a new game of his own. But what will Fustaq’s do…

Parent and Teacher guide
Jad is eager to participate in his school’s running competition and is determined he will win. Jad trains hard under the guidance of his friend, Jalal, and with the support of his siblings, Tala and Zozo. The story captures the excitement and confidence Jad feels leading up to the big day, only for him to face the unexpected challenge of finishing second in the race. Through the disappointment, and with the encouragement of his family and friends, Jad learns that losing is not a defeat but a stepping stone toward future success. He discovers the true value of sportsmanship, perseverance, and personal growth. This story is rich with life lessons, making it an excellent resource for engaging children in conversations about the importance of effort, persistence, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the strength of social support and sportsmanship.

Questions for Discussion:

• Have you ever participated in a school activity or competition before?
• Do you train for a particular sport or a skill like playing a musical instrument? If yes what do you train for and why do you train?
• Have you ever felt sad because you lost in a competition? How did you handle that feeling?
• If a friend told you they didn't succeed at something, what would you say to encourage them?
• What do you think of Jad's behavior towards Mounir? Is it important to congratulate the winner and what does sportmanship mean?
• If you participated in a competition and didn’t win, would you try again? Why or why not?

About the Author
Taghreed Najjar, was awarded the 2021 Jordanian State Award for children Literature. She has been a several time nominee for the Astrid Lindgren award and a several-time winner and short listee of the Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children’s Literature. Her YA novel Whose Doll is This? Won the YA book of the year (2019) With a portfolio spanning 4 decades, Taghreed – a multifaceted author - writes picture books, middle grade and young adult books. Her picture books have become classics that are read and enjoyed by generations. While her YA novels have found great success in addressing difficult subjects reflecting political and cultural realities in the region. Several of Najjar’s books have been recommended by “White Ravens” and several have been translated to languages including English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, French and Turkish.

About the Illustrator
Aly Alzainy lives in Alexandria Egypt. As a child, he was fascinated by art and would daily draw a visual diary of all that he encountered. He also loved to draw family members, friends, and their pets. He experimented with different styles and art mediums and recently started illustrating children's picture books with great success.