The Ferris Wheel

A powerful and heartwarming story for children about displacement from Turkey’s most prolific children’s book author.

A 2024 Middle East Book Award Winner

This is the story of two parallel journeys in cities far apart. A mother and a son leave their home for a better day, while a father and a daughter leave their home for a safer day. The concerns of the parents are almost the same as they watch over their kids, but their experiences are sadly very different. The father and daughter are fleeing a city devastated by war, leaving their home—and beloved goldfish—behind. All through their journey the goldfish follows them as a symbol of longing and hope. The two families’ paths finally cross on a Ferris wheel and, as they go round and round, trading places with each other, we understand that we are all connected.

With beautiful illustrations full of symbolism, this simple and powerful story of displacement encourages us all to welcome newcomers with compassion and curiosity.

Tülin Kozikoğlu is one of Turkey’s most treasured children’s book authors. She has published over 34 picture books, which have won numerous awards and have been translated into over 20 languages. She now conducts creative writing workshops for adults and children, and leads volunteer projects to promote literacy and Turkish culture. She lives in Istanbul with her family.

Hüseyin Sönmezay was born in Bulgaria. He attended vocational high school with a concentration on graphic design. He graduated from the Painting Department of Faculty of Fine Arts. He has illustrated more than thirty picture books along with various magazine illustrations.