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الأَرْقَام فِي القَرْيَة

Numbers in the Village

A Hayya Beena Naqraa story · Tier 0 (Whisper of the Alphabet · هَمْسَةُ الأَبْجَدِيَّة) · For ages 3–5

A pre-reader counting book. One number, one word, one small picture per page. Read it slowly. Point to the number. Let the child count.

Cover page

الأَرْقَام فِي القَرْيَة

Numbers in the Village

A soft watercolor illustration of a small barefoot child, around 4 years old, with curly hair and a simple cotton dress, sitting on a low stone wall in a Levantine mountain village. The child is holdi
🎨 Illustration prompt

A soft watercolor illustration of a small barefoot child, around 4 years old, with curly hair and a simple cotton dress, sitting on a low stone wall in a Levantine mountain village. The child is holding up one hand, fingers spread, as if just learning to count. A grandmother in a long blue dress stands beside them, smiling gently. Behind them, terraced hills with olive trees, a clay-tiled rooftop, and a wide pale-gold morning sky. Watercolor style, soft edges, no harsh outlines. No text in the image. Aspect ratio: square or 4:5 portrait.

Page 1

١

شَمْس

1 — Shams (Sun)

One round, warm sun rising over Levantine hills. Soft yellow and pale orange rays spread gently across a pale blue sky. Below, the silhouette of one olive tree on a low hill. The sun is centered and c
🎨 Illustration prompt

One round, warm sun rising over Levantine hills. Soft yellow and pale orange rays spread gently across a pale blue sky. Below, the silhouette of one olive tree on a low hill. The sun is centered and clear — the single subject of the page. Watercolor style. No text in the image.

Page 2

٢

صَنْدَلَان

2 — Sandalan (Two Sandals)

Two small leather sandals placed neatly side by side on a stone doorstep. The leather is worn and soft, well-loved. Beside them, a small pot of basil. Morning light falls across the stone. Watercolor
🎨 Illustration prompt

Two small leather sandals placed neatly side by side on a stone doorstep. The leather is worn and soft, well-loved. Beside them, a small pot of basil. Morning light falls across the stone. Watercolor style, warm browns and soft greens. No text in the image.

Page 3

٣

زَيْتُونَات

3 — Zaytunat (Three Olives)

Three plump olives — one green, one purple, one black — resting on a small white ceramic dish. A single olive leaf beside them. The wooden table beneath is bare and old. Watercolor style, rich earthy
🎨 Illustration prompt

Three plump olives — one green, one purple, one black — resting on a small white ceramic dish. A single olive leaf beside them. The wooden table beneath is bare and old. Watercolor style, rich earthy tones. No text in the image.

Page 4

٤

طُيُور

4 — Tuyur (Four Birds)

Four small brown sparrows perched in a row on a wooden balcony railing. Each bird is slightly different — one looking up, one preening, two facing each other. Behind them, a soft blur of a pale stone
🎨 Illustration prompt

Four small brown sparrows perched in a row on a wooden balcony railing. Each bird is slightly different — one looking up, one preening, two facing each other. Behind them, a soft blur of a pale stone wall with a grapevine. Watercolor style, gentle. No text in the image.

Page 5

٥

وَرَقَات

5 — Waraqat (Five Leaves)

Five fig leaves scattered on a stone path — each a slightly different shade of green, some with a yellow edge as if late summer. The stones are warm grey, dappled with sunlight through a tree above. W
🎨 Illustration prompt

Five fig leaves scattered on a stone path — each a slightly different shade of green, some with a yellow edge as if late summer. The stones are warm grey, dappled with sunlight through a tree above. Watercolor style, soft greens and golds. No text in the image.

Page 6

٦

حَصَيَات

6 — Hasayat (Six Pebbles)

Six small smooth pebbles arranged in a loose circle on packed earth. The pebbles are different soft colors — pale grey, sandy beige, dusty pink, one with tiny white speckles. A child's game, paused. W
🎨 Illustration prompt

Six small smooth pebbles arranged in a loose circle on packed earth. The pebbles are different soft colors — pale grey, sandy beige, dusty pink, one with tiny white speckles. A child's game, paused. Watercolor style, gentle and tactile. No text in the image.

Page 7

٧

نُجُوم

7 — Nujum (Seven Stars)

Seven small bright stars scattered across a deep indigo evening sky. Below, the soft silhouette of a Levantine village rooftop with a single cypress tree. The stars feel close, almost touchable. Water
🎨 Illustration prompt

Seven small bright stars scattered across a deep indigo evening sky. Below, the soft silhouette of a Levantine village rooftop with a single cypress tree. The stars feel close, almost touchable. Watercolor style, deep blues with shining points of white-gold. No text in the image.

Page 8

٨

سَنَابِل

8 — Sanabil (Eight Wheat Stalks)

Eight golden wheat stalks gathered loosely in a small bundle, tied with a thin piece of natural twine. The grains are full and ripe, the long whiskers catching late afternoon light. Background is a so
🎨 Illustration prompt

Eight golden wheat stalks gathered loosely in a small bundle, tied with a thin piece of natural twine. The grains are full and ripe, the long whiskers catching late afternoon light. Background is a soft warm cream. Watercolor style, honey and gold tones. No text in the image.

Page 9

٩

أَرْغِفَة

9 — Arghifa (Nine Loaves of Khubz)

Nine round flatbreads (khubz) stacked gently on a folded blue-and-white cotton cloth. The top loaf is slightly off-center, golden-brown and warm. A faint wisp of steam rises from the stack. Watercolor
🎨 Illustration prompt

Nine round flatbreads (khubz) stacked gently on a folded blue-and-white cotton cloth. The top loaf is slightly off-center, golden-brown and warm. A faint wisp of steam rises from the stack. Watercolor style, warm and homey. No text in the image.

Page 10

١٠

أَصَابِع

10 — Asabi' (Ten Fingers)

Two small child's hands held up side by side, palms facing the viewer, all ten fingers spread wide. The hands are soft and warm, against a pale cream background. A tiny green leaf rests in one palm, a
🎨 Illustration prompt

Two small child's hands held up side by side, palms facing the viewer, all ten fingers spread wide. The hands are soft and warm, against a pale cream background. A tiny green leaf rests in one palm, as if just picked. Watercolor style, gentle and intimate. No text in the image.

Closing Page

عَدَدْنَا مَعًا.

مِنْ وَاحِد إِلَى عَشَرَة.

We counted together.

From one to ten.

The same child and grandmother from the cover, now sitting together on the stone wall at the end of the day. The child is holding up all ten fingers proudly, laughing. The grandmother is laughing too,
🎨 Illustration prompt

The same child and grandmother from the cover, now sitting together on the stone wall at the end of the day. The child is holding up all ten fingers proudly, laughing. The grandmother is laughing too, one hand resting on the child's small shoulder. Behind them, the village in soft evening light — pale pinks and lavenders, a first star in the sky. Watercolor, gentle, the emotional anchor of the book. No text in the image.

كَلِمَاتٌ جَدِيدَة · New Words

Each number has its own word and its own picture. For pre-readers, the picture IS the meaning. Adults: point to the number, say the word slowly, let the child echo and count along on their fingers.

Number How to say it Word Meaning
١
 wāhid
وَاحِد
 one
٢
 ithnān
اِثْنَان
 two
٣
 thalātha
ثَلَاثَة
 three
٤
 arba'a
أَرْبَعَة
 four
٥
 khamsa
خَمْسَة
 five
٦
 sitta
سِتَّة
 six
٧
 sab'a
سَبْعَة
 seven
٨
 thamāniya
ثَمَانِيَة
 eight
٩
 tis'a
تِسْعَة
 nine
١٠
 'ashara
عَشَرَة
 ten

The things we counted:

Arabic How to say it English
شَمْس
 shams sun
صَنْدَل
 sandal sandal
زَيْتُونَة
 zaytūna olive
طَائِر
 tā'ir bird
وَرَقَة
 waraqa leaf
حَصَاة
 hasāh pebble
نَجْمَة
 najma star
سُنْبُلَة
 sunbula wheat stalk
رَغِيف
 raghīf loaf of bread
إِصْبَع
 isba' finger

🗣️ Talk about it (for parent or teacher)

These aren't quiz questions. Ask one, point at the picture, and listen.

  1. Which page had the most things to count? Can we count them together, slowly?
  2. What in your room could we count? Books? Spoons? Shoes by the door?
  3. Let's say one number five times together. Which one do you like?

✏️ Try it (a tiny activity, 2 minutes)

Pick one:

A note for grown-ups reading along

This is a pre-reader book — designed for ages 3 to 5, before children can decode numbers or letters on their own. You are the reader. Your child is the counter and the looker.

How to read it:

  1. Point to the big Arabic number at the top of the page.
  2. Say it slowly: "Wāhid. One."
  3. Point to the picture. Count out loud, touching each object: "Wāhid."
  4. On page 2, count both sandals: "Wāhid, ithnān."
  5. By page 10, you'll be counting all the way: "Wāhid, ithnān, thalātha, arba'a, khamsa, sitta, sab'a, thamāniya, tis'a, 'ashara."

Repetition is the curriculum. Read this book over and over. Within a week or two, your child will start counting along with you, then before you. That is the goal — not memorization, not testing, but the joy of numbers becoming friends.

A note on Arabic numerals: The numbers you see (١ ٢ ٣) are the original Arabic numerals — sometimes called "Eastern Arabic numerals" — still used across the Levant today. Your child will see both these and the Western forms (1, 2, 3) growing up. Both are theirs.

— Hayya Beena Naqraa (هَيَّا بِنَا نَقْرَأ)

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