BELMONT, Mass. — Local children’s book author Meghri Dervartanian is proud to announce the publication of her newest book «Դէպի Արարատ Լեռ» “Tebi Ararat Ler” (Toward Mt. Ararat), inspired by her trek to the historic mountain in 2019.
“Throughout my childhood, I was always surrounded by images of our Mt. Ararat. In 2019, those images became reality when I planted my feet atop our holy mountain,” explained Dervartanian of her life-changing experience. “After that journey I made it a personal mission to encourage everyone that a journey to Mt. Ararat is more than a dream, but rather something that one can and will do. That is when I decided to one day write a children’s book about Mt. Ararat.”
«Դէպի Արարատ Լեռ» is a dialogue between Nareh and Haig, who share their ideas about how to measure the height of the mountain. They ultimately decide to climb Mt. Ararat together and raise the flags of Armenia and Artsakh on its mountaintop where they belong. “If we can’t put our tricolored flag on the summit ourselves, then who will?” asserts the author.
This is Dervartanian’s second Western Armenian offering for young readers, digitized once again by her friend and Weekly layout designer Nanar Avedessian. In November 2020 following Armenia’s loss in the 2020 Artsakh War, Dervartanian marked the release of «Հպարտ Հայ» (Proud Armenian), which was financially backed and supported by the AYF Eastern Region and Hamazkayin Boston—organizations that Dervartanian has long served as a proud member.
In addition to this newest publication, Dervartanian has also designed and illustrated a durable and vibrant collection of Armenian alphabet flashcards for young children. “I hope to fill Armenian households with enjoyable tools for young children to fall in love with their language and create with it because that is how our next Toumanians and Baruyr Sevags will be born,” said Dervartanian.
Dervartanian is also the creator of the social media page Armenian Crash Course, where it is “never too late or early to learn Armenian.” Dervartanian writes and produces colorful and animated educational content and also appears on-camera to offer clear explanations of commonly confused Armenian grammar and spelling rules. “Before I started Armenian Crash Course, I was always looking for ways to transfer my love and passion for the Armenian language to those around me, to let everyone know that this language is not only my language, not only our ancestors’ language, but it is a language that everyone needs to call their own,” explained Dervartanian. “Through my books, posts and initiatives, I hope to pass along one message: have fun with our beautiful language. Speak it. Use it. Create with it.”
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Order forms for «Դէպի Արարատ Լեռ» and the Armenian alphabet flashcards are available online.
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