Luqoom’s latest picture book, The Little Boy Who Lost His Joy, pairs Racha Mourtada’s tender storytelling with Dania K.’s vibrant illustrations—and debuts in Dyslexie, a font engineered to make reading easier for children with dyslexia. This heartwarming journey reminds young readers that joy can grow from the most unexpected places.
Beirut’s boutique publisher Luqoom unveils The Little Boy Who Lost His Joy, a tender new picture book by founder Racha Mourtada with luminous art from Dania K. Set in Dyslexie—a font designed to ease reading for children with dyslexia—this color-rich adventure follows a forgetful squirrel and a bow-tied boy as they learn that joy, like an acorn, can sprout in the most unexpected places.
When Squirrel realizes he can’t remember where he buried his precious acorns, he sets off through a monochrome forest in search of them. Instead, he meets a polite, bowtie-clad Little Boy who has lost something just as precious: his joy. Together, these unlikely friends traverse the woods, and with each new discovery—acorn or otherwise—the pages burst from black and white into a kaleidoscope of color.
Inspired by the real-life habit of squirrels unknowingly planting oak trees, Racha Mourtada weaves an uplifting analogy: sometimes our mistakes plant the seeds of something beautiful. “This forgetfulness actually helps acorns sprout into mighty oaks,” she explains. “It felt like a lovely reminder that joy can grow from our stumbles.”
Yet, it was Little Boy’s quiet longing—reflecting so many children who have faced hard times—that completed the story. “In Lebanon and beyond, many of us have felt our joy slip away,” says Mourtada. “With a new friend’s help, Little Boy learns that joy never truly vanishes—it’s all around us, waiting to be found.”
In a first for Luqoom, the text appears in Dyslexie, a typeface designed to boost readability for readers with dyslexia (available at dyslexie.com). By embracing accessible design, Luqoom reaffirms its mission to create picture books that every child can hold, cherish, and share.
Launch Event
The launching will take place at Salon Beyrouth in Hamra on Saturday, May 17, from 11:00 PM to 1:00 PM for a reading and book signing with Racha Mourtada, plus a paper-acorn sculpting workshop by A Paper Poem. Enjoy specially crafted treats that capture the story’s nutty merriment—and leave with a little more joy in your heart.
Available in Beirut bookstores mid-May, with UAE and Saudi Arabia distribution to follow. Already acquired by a Korean publisher, this tale of friendship and wonder is set to delight children around the world.
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