The Arabian Nights written by Wafa’ Tarnowska and illustrated by Carole Hénaff
I don’t come across many picture books related to The Arabian Nights, so when I saw this one I grabbed it off the shelf and began reading right away. The book features eight stories, the first of which tells how the shah Shahriyar came to marry a new bride every night and execute her in the morning, and how the clever Shahrazade enacted her plan to stop the shah’s madness. The book even includes Duniazad, Shahrazade’s younger sister who is a partner in the plan.
Shahrazade begins with the story from The Arabian Nights that most Western audiences are probably familiar with: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. The rest of the stories are ones that readers raised mainly on European fairy tales might not recognize, which makes me extra happy that this book does such a good job of retelling them. Each story features many color illustrations by Carole Hénaff, which are bright and full of personality.
One of the things I like so much about this book is that Tarnowska doesn’t briefly sum up the stories but writes lengthy retellings, allowing the plot of each story to completely unfold and giving the characters room enough to become lifelike. The only disadvantage is that this book wouldn’t necessarily be a good choice for a story time when you have to keep the attention of multiple young children, but it would be excellent for an older child who is into fairy tales. And, of course, any adults who are looking for a good story.
This edition of The Arabian Nights includes a Glossary of things and places that appear in the stories, and a brief list of resources for anybody who wants more Arabian Nights goodness after reaching the end. Tarnowska, who was born in Lebanon, also writes a wonderful Introduction that provides some history about The Arabian Nights and her own history of hearing her grandmother tell the stories as a child.
Shahrazade begins with the story from The Arabian Nights that most Western audiences are probably familiar with: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. The rest of the stories are ones that readers raised mainly on European fairy tales might not recognize, which makes me extra happy that this book does such a good job of retelling them. Each story features many color illustrations by Carole Hénaff, which are bright and full of personality.
One of the things I like so much about this book is that Tarnowska doesn’t briefly sum up the stories but writes lengthy retellings, allowing the plot of each story to completely unfold and giving the characters room enough to become lifelike. The only disadvantage is that this book wouldn’t necessarily be a good choice for a story time when you have to keep the attention of multiple young children, but it would be excellent for an older child who is into fairy tales. And, of course, any adults who are looking for a good story.
This edition of The Arabian Nights includes a Glossary of things and places that appear in the stories, and a brief list of resources for anybody who wants more Arabian Nights goodness after reaching the end. Tarnowska, who was born in Lebanon, also writes a wonderful Introduction that provides some history about The Arabian Nights and her own history of hearing her grandmother tell the stories as a child.