Two award-winning children’s book authors from Türkiye are coming to Bib Sophia to share their passion for reading, writing, and creativity!
Please fill out the form to register for the events:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvWT5w9Lto1pI11zWXAWaflO22a7L6iSJ-jJuBEGpkfDBTNg/viewform?pli=1
This event is organised in collaboration with Bib Sophia and Beinsitu Sustainability Institute.
📚 Age group: 5-10
🕒 Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
👧👦 Number of participants: around 40-50
📖 Language: Turkish, ( Translation into English is available during the workshop if needed)
Part 1: Interactive reading workshops
Tülin Kozikoğlu Workshop: “Stories from Leyla Fonten, The Angry Spider”
Tulin wrote her Leyla Fonten series on emotions and personality traits to help children understand that it is ok to feel all the emotions. The series has sold more than 500,000 copies, and Leyla Fonten is definitely a star among the 3-8 year old children in Turkey.
In the book reading session of Angry Spider Rıza, Tulin will lead an interactive approach using drama techniques in order to keep children engaged. She will concentrate on turning our anger into positive behaviour, thus getting rid of this negative emotion through art. At the end of the book reading, children will make spiders with paper plates and straws.
🎨 This is a lively and engaging book session filled with repetition, participation, and number play!
📚 For ages 2–4
🕒 Duration: 30 minutes
👧👦 Number of participants: Maximum 10 children (groups can be split based on age). Depending on the number of participants, 3 workshops may be organized.
Part 1: Interactive reading workshops
Beyhan Gültaşlar Workshop: “Is 3 Too Much?”
Too little, too much, or just right? In this fun workshop, we’ll count together with the little ones, ask questions, and look for answers! 🐘🐦🍪,
💡 Note: The activity will be adapted based on the children’s age and interest.
This interactive reading session, based on the picture book Is 3 Too Much?, aims to support early counting, thinking, and language skills through play. On each page, children will be both listeners and active participants.
📖 The book will first be read in Turkish.
Then, for those interested, a short recap can be done in English with small groups.
Part 2: Author’s talk
“Creative Process Behind the Children’s Books: Tülin Kozikoğlu & Beyhan Gültaşlar”
The books of both authors combine illustrations and storytelling, showcasing their creative process. This author’s talk is a chance to look behind the scenes of the making of a children’s book and chance to meet the authors at the library. Welcome!
Tülin Kozikoğlu:
Tulin Kozikoglu is an award-winning children’s book author living in Istanbul, Turkey. After graduating from Bosphorus University (Istanbul, Turkey) with a degree in Psychology, she obtained an MBA from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA, USA). After working in two different multinational companies active in cement and iron & steel industries, she began writing stories for children in 2010. As of September 2025, she has published 35 picture books. Her books are sold more than 1,000,000 copies and rights are sold to 29 languages including English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Polish, Korean, Japanese and Persian… Kozikoğlu conducts creative writing workshops for children and adults. She also trains teachers on how to teach creative writing to kids. Kozikoğlu proudly leads various volunteer projects for cultivating the early literacy awareness in Turkey.
Beyhan Gültaşlar:
She graduated from Mimar Sinan University, Department of Architecture. After working in this field for many years, she realized that she had moved away from her primary interest, creativity, and turned towards its source—children. She participated in an international seminar program on the Reggio Emilia Approach, one of the alternative early childhood education methods, in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and conducted school observations there. Based on her professional discipline, she researched the concept of “children learning from space/material.” She provides training to teachers in process management, follow-up, and documentation and conducts supervision work. In this context, she continues her research on the concept of “making learning visible” in preschool education in Turkey.
