Pea Boy and Other Stories from Iran - Hardcover

Laird, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845079124 ISBN 13: 9781845079123

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2010

Synopsis

Iran is a country of mountains striped with snow, dense forests where bears and lynxes still roam, deserts, bazaars . . . but above all it has stories — of fairies and demons, of a monstrous metal eagle called the okab, of romantic cockroaches and foolish weavers. During her travels in that large and diverse country, award-winning novelist Elizabeth Laird has gathered a wealth of stories, and here she retells, in her own inimitable style, some of its best. This book is an exciting insight into a people with an ancient and rich culture, making an important contribution to international understanding as well as being a rewarding book in itself. Beautifully illustrated by a gifted young artist who was brought up in Iran, Pea Boy and Other Stories from Iran is a feast for the eye and the ear.

About this title

About the Author

Elizabeth Laird is the renowned author of Kiss the Dust, The Garbage King and A Little Piece of Ground. She has been shortlisted five times for the Carnegie Medal. She has a longstanding interest in Persian literature and has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East. Her other books for Frances Lincoln are Pea Boy: Stories from Iran, A Fistful of Pearls: Stories from Iraq, and The Ogress and the Snake: Stories from Somalia. Elizabeth divides her time between London and Edinburgh.

SHIRIN ADL was born in Harlow, England, in 1975. She received a first class BA honours in illustration from Loughborough University, and won the Hallmark M&S division Talented Designer Award. She currently lives in Oxford with her husband.

Reviews

Gr 3-6–In these folktales, Laird writes as a storyteller would speak, with natural cadence and authentic voice. These tales do not all have happy endings, and sometimes the main characters act very foolishly and suffer the consequences of their poor choices. The message of each story, however, is intelligent and witty, and provides a glimpse into the culture. Although the format and cover illustrations make this look like a picture book, there is a lot of text, making the book better suited to middle graders. The stylized mixed-media illustrations are a good match for the stories. Adl often uses cloth with patterns characteristic of the region in her compositions. The resulting artwork conveys a great deal of fun and exuberance while still reflecting the cultural background of the stories. A well-done and attractive addition to any folktale collection.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

All seven entries in this picture-book anthology are Iranian folktales, presented by a duo who knows the country well (Adl grew up in Iran; Laird’s has traveled widely there). But the stories are universal with their trickster and monster characters and themes of betrayal, love, and redemption. The title tale features a mischievous, tiny creature who is desperately poor but also cheeky. After swallowing the huge animals that threaten him, including a leopard and a wolf, he spills them out at an opportune moment and defeats his enemies. “Sparrow’s Quest” begins with a little bird who wants to know what the most powerful thing in the world is and discovers his own strength in the process. And in a great trickster tale, innocent Kayvan the Brave fools those who mock him. Adl’s folk-style collage illustrations in bright watercolor, colored pencil, photos, and fabrics extend the fun with delicate detail and lively scenes, whether the image is of silly, flirty Miss Cockroach or of the giant leopard that leaps out of Pea Boy’s mouth. Preschool-Grade 3. --Hazel Rochman

Edition details

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1845079124
• ISBN 13: 9781845079123
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Adl Shirin
• Number of pages: 64