In common with fairy tales everywhere, these stories are about love, jealousy, bravery, loyalty, nobility, meanness, compassion, and, finally about the triumph of truth and patience. Easy enough for young children to read, they may also be read out to children at bedtime stories. Winner of the Ashoka fellowship award in 1996, for her innovative method of teaching junior school children, Runa Khan Marre's educational books are now amongst the very few of the government approved text books for schools in Bangladesh. These books, which emphasize critical thinking and self-directed learning, have been instrumental in significantly improving student performance. Runa's diverse background includes teaching, writing books, promoting entrepreneurial ventures, and fashion designing. Runa, along with her husband and their three children, are settled in Bangladesh. With her husband, a renowned French sailor and adventurer, she is at present, concentrating on trying to portray a positive face of Bangladesh to the West, through river tourism on the country boats whose original shapes and craftsmanship and are disappearing over time.