Discover the enchanting journey of a writer who transformed her daughter's love for fantasy into a captivating tale rooted in ancient myths! After years of rejection, her dream finally ca...

At the National Academic Library, the writer and cultural expert shared with the audience the story behind the creation of this children's fantasy.

It all began in 2006, when children were eagerly reading the Harry Potter books. Among them was the writer's daughter. At that time, Zira Nauryzbai was researching Turkic mythology. It was then that she thought: why not create her own version of Harry Potter, but based on Kazakh myths and legends? Her daughter was intrigued by this idea. The writer approached her colleague Liliya Kalauz, and together they conceived and wrote a magical story about the adventures of Batu and his friends.

However, publishing the book did not happen right away. The authors submitted their work to various publishing houses but faced rejections everywhere. Finally, in 2013, a sponsor emerged who believed in the idea, and a year later, the first book titled “The Adventures of Batu and His Friends in Search of the Golden Bowl” was released. To date, the second and third books in the Batu adventure series have been published.

In the books by Zira Nauryzbai and Liliya Kalauz, stories unfold about school friends who find themselves in various fairy-tale worlds. There, whimsical creatures from Turkic mythology come to life, and the heroes must demonstrate ingenuity and knowledge to emerge victorious from challenging situations. According to Zira Nauryzbai, the primary goal of the book is to instill in children the spirit of national values and traditions.

– The main character, Batu, initially appears insecure and becomes a victim of bullying. However, as he overcomes trials, he evolves. It's no coincidence that his name, Batu, means "brave" or "fearless." Wherever Batu finds himself, he triumphs through courage and resourcefulness, – explained the author of the book.

A special guest at the event was Ruslan Shursenov, the founder of the historical-military children's club "Zhusan." He shared how he teaches children the art of military craft and how they forge helmets, chainmail, and swords together. The club also instructs young warriors in swordsmanship and other forms of weaponry.

– Our club has two directions. One is modern tactics, where kids use toy guns and grenades that shoot special safe balls called Orbis. The other is historical-military, where they learn the art of wielding swords, spears, and other attributes of steppe weaponry, – noted the club leader.

Right in the library, the students of the "Zhusan" club—boys and girls in armor—demonstrated their skills. They paired up, fighting with prop swords, spears, and shock sticks, defending themselves with shields. Often, it was not the strongest who won, but the one who was clever and agile.

At the end of the meeting, Ruslan Shursenov performed the ritual "Zhylan qayys" ("Snake Skin"). This ancient ceremony is detailed in the book about Batu and symbolizes the initiation of a child into the warriors.

According to tradition, a father and son would come to the forge. The boy would wear a woolen chapan resembling snake skin. The blacksmith would stand with his legs apart, and the child would crawl back and forth between the blacksmith's legs twice. After the first time, the boy would be dressed in warrior armor, and after the second, he would be given a weapon. Then, the blacksmith would recite a blessing, wishing that the young warrior would become a worthy protector of the people, growing quick, strong, compassionate, and just.