The book series titled “Jewels of Northern Cyprus”, which were written by the University of Kyrenia Faculty of Education lecturer Assist. Prof. Dr. Mutlu Soykurt and met with the readers as part of the Near East University Culture Publications, have been academically evaluated by Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Başoğlu. The academic evaluation, which was also published in the book “New Trends in the Field of Educational Sciences I” by Perihan Ünüvar, was also published under the title “The Evaluation of Early Youth Age Biographies in Terms of Educational Principles: The Case of the Jewels of Northern Cyprus”.

Contributing to many national and international projects in Turkish Language and Literature and Turkish education, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Başoğlu spoke highly of the Jewels of Northern Cyprus Book series. Expressing that the books are suitable biographies for children and young people in terms of their educational principles, she stated that the series will have a positive impact on young people with its features of ‘creating models, giving place to basic values, bringing aesthetic sensitivity and imagination’.

Assoc.Prof. Dr. Nuran Başoğlu: “The book series titled the Jewels of Northern Cyprus are successful works in terms of being a model, conveying basic values, bringing aesthetics and imagination.”
Describing the English translation of the books as ‘a step to expand the readership’, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Başoğlu gave the following details regarding her evaluation: “Young people who read this series will, on the one hand, learn the life stories of these exemplary people with their contributions and successes as part of the Turkish Cypriot people, on the other hand, they will discover the gem in themselves and gain courage. Including living names is also important in terms of realizing and sharing the importance of these people while they are alive. It was seen that the examined books were successful works in terms of being a model for the readers, conveying the basic values, and giving them aesthetics and imagination. While presenting the heroes in the books as models, their individual and social values are also emphasized. It is noteworthy that the chosen heroes are determined, hardworking, self-confident individuals in achieving their goals and that they do not give up in the face of difficulties. At the same time, they are people who have a sense of responsibility and attach importance to the values of family unity, love and respect. Value transfer is supported by their breaking new ground for Cyprus and their patriotism. The heroes are presented naturally, without idealizing them, and by including their weaknesses when necessary.”

It does not contain an element of violence, it is in a quality that will improve the reader’s knowledge and culture universe…
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Başoğlu emphasized that aesthetic sensitivity is also given importance with questions suitable for creative thinking and design in the books. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başoğlu also mentioned that the content does not contain violence and it is prepared in a way that will improve the reader’s knowledge and culture universe. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başoğlu stated that in order for biographies written for children and young people to be considered qualified, certain criteria should be observed in terms of design and content features, as well as certain criteria in terms of education and educational principles, biography books should be a model for the readers, conveying basic values, aesthetic sensitivity, and, she drew attention to the importance of being prepared in a way that gives imagination.

Jewels of Northern Cyprus…
In the “Jewels of Northern Cyprus” series, which brings together the inspiring stories of the heroes who have made great contributions to the culture and life of the Turkish Cypriot Community, four books have met with readers so far. In the first three books of the series, the life story of the doyen music teacher Yıldan Birand, who left important social traces in different fields in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; Raziye Kocaismail, the President of the Aid Association for Cancer Patients, and the businesswoman Işın Ramadan Cemil, the owner of Ramadan Cemil Enterprises were told, and the subject of the fourth book was the story of actor Osman Alkaş.