Ghaddar the Ghoul and other Palestinian Stories: And Other Palestinian Folk-tales

New
Paperback
2007
$6.58

Why do snakes eat frogs? What makes a man-eating ghoul turn vegetarian? And how can a woman make a bored prince smile? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in this delicious anthology of Palestinian folk tales collected and retold by Sonia Nimr. A wry sense of humour runs through the characterful women, genial tricksters and mischievous animals who make an appearance. Sonia's upbeat storytelling, bubbling with wit and humour, will delight readers discovering for the first time the rich tradition of Palestinian storytelling.

Synopsis

Why do snakes eat frogs? What makes a man-eating ghoul turn vegetarian? And how can a woman make a bored prince smile? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in this delicious anthology of Palestinian folk tales collected and retold by Sonia Nimr. A wry sense of humour runs through the characterful women, genial tricksters and mischievous animals who make an appearance. Sonia's upbeat storytelling, bubbling with wit and humour, will delight readers discovering for the first time the rich tradition of Palestinian storytelling.

$6.58

Quantity

Temporarily out of stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 96
Edition: Us ed.
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Published: 01 Mar 2007
ISBN 10: 1845075234
ISBN 13: 9781845075231

Media Reviews

This anthology would make an excellent addition to any classroom collection of traditional tales from around the world. Entertainingly told, Nimr's Palestinian stories interweave the familiar ingredients of rich imagery, patterned language and repeated action, all against a backdrop of Arabian land, culture and folklore. In a monocultural classroom, this collection would broaden horizons and challenge assumptions; in a multicultural one, it could stimulate the sharing, comparing and valuing of folktales from a whole host of different peoples and lands. Read, re-tell and enjoy! www.writeaway.org.uk Sonia Nimir's collection is a must in any self-respecting school libraries shelves. School Librarian With the beautiful illustrations, this book is a must read. Bookfest Ireland - Recommended Reading Guide This is just one example of a number of similar, slim, illustrated paperbacks of folk tales of specific countries or regions. There are nine tales in this book, some are familiar from One Thousand and One Nights collections, some are closely related to folk tales from elsewhere, but that is the gregarious nature of the form. A collection such as this helps to get closer to the cultures of a different race but also demonstrates inherent common features too. An introduction by Ghada Karmi draws attention to the enormous strength of oral tradition among Arabic peoples. Guardian Best New Children's Books Supplement

Author Bio

Hannah Shaw graduated from Brighton University with a BA in Illustration. Since then she has worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, but has also worked in a chocolate shop and a bead factory. Since childhood she has had a passion for writing stories and creating characters to illustrate them. She currently lives in a tiny village in Gloucestershire with Ben the blacksmith and Ren the dog. Her books include Evil Weasel which won the Cambridgeshire Children's Picture Book Award in 2009 (voted for by 8,000 children) and Crocodiles are the Best Animals of All with Sean Taylor for Frances Lincoln.

To visit Hannah Shaw's website click here

Sonia Nimr is a writer living in Palestine. She teaches at Bir Zeit University and lives in Ramallah with her young son. She collaborated with Elizabeth Laird on A Little Piece of Ground (Macmillan), the first children's novel to be published in the UK about events in the occupied West Bank from the perspective of a Palestinian boy and his family.