The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is bringing a twist to this year's edition, where visitors can step into the shoes of detectives, take 'poetry pills' for the soul, and explore science through storytelling.

Under the theme 'Between You and a Book', the fair will run from November 5 to 16 at Expo Centre Sharjah, featuring more than 1,200 activities and hosting 250 guests from 66 countries, organisers announced on Thursday.

Khoula Al Mujaini, general coordinator of SIBF, told Khaleej Times that this edition will offer one of the most unique programmes.

“As usual, we organise cultural panels, kids' workshops, cookery shows, and professional sessions. But this year, we are introducing new topics such as archaeology, mathematics, physics, and science, with which we aim to reach a wider audience,” she said.

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She added that the goal is to keep literature dynamic and inclusive.“Every year we try to blend culture with curiosity, to make reading relevant to all generations,” she said.

Among the fair's creative concepts is the poetry pharmacy, a store from the UK that prescribes verses tailored to a reader's mood.

“There will be pills, and in those will be poetry or verses from poets worldwide. If you are feeling low, you can take the pill, and there's a poem for that to enhance your mood. If you want to feel happy, we will have verses that reflect this,” said Al Mujaini.

“It's about enhancing the reader's mood and overall well-being and is a literary prescription for the soul.”

She mentioned that this initiative is part of SIBF's vision to make reading not just intellectual but therapeutic, allowing visitors to discover poetry as an emotional remedy.

Mystery meets imagination

Another highlight is an interactive play where the audience steps into the role of detectives.

“It's not a treasure hunt. The audience must read the book, follow the clues, and think like investigators to solve the puzzle. It's a creative way to merge literature and participation," said Al Mujaini.

She said that these experiences are designed to make SIBF "a living storybook" where every visitor becomes part of the narrative.

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