(2) K-3 Young readers are introduced to the thirteenth-century poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic Rumi in this accessible picture-book biography that spans much of its subject's childhood and adult life. Rumi develops his love of birds at a young age, leading to his discovery of stories about the Smurgh, a large mythical bird composed of thirty smaller birds, which becomes important to his developing identity. As a young scholar, he befriends a mystic named Shams (sun in Arabic), who "was a sun, shining in Rumi's heart and mind." His jealous students run Shams off, and Rumi falls into a deep period of sadness. During this time, he turns to writing as a form of solace and a way to work through complicated emotions and personal loss. The book contextualizes some of Rumi's most well-known writing, the "Masnavi," inspired by his friendship with Shams (although it does not address what many now suspect: that the two were likely more than friends). Kheiriyeh's illustrations use bold colors and gold leaf, and incorporate Arabic and Farsi script, along with traditional geometric designs and shapes common in Islamic architecture. Flora and fauna are an important part of the illustrations: pages are adorned with flowers, pomegranates, and a variety of birds, including Rumi's beloved hoopoe. A gentle, visually engaging introduction to one of the world's most enduring poetic voices.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) YA "Stories always begin the same way. There was and there was not." Soraya, sister of the Kingdom's future shah, lives a privileged life in Golvahar Palace and loves to hear her mother's hopeful fairy tales. But the threat of divs, monsters who attack and harm people, lurks at the base of the mountain. Soraya is trapped by the curse of a div, put upon her as a baby: any living creature that touches her will be poisoned. In richly descriptive third-person narration, the reader meets Soraya as she begins to rebel, hoping to break the curse and realizing that the tale of its origin, as she knew it, is not true, and neither are her notions of good and evil. When she becomes allies (and eventually romantic partners) with a female div, she learns that everyone, div or human, is capable of choosing between cruelty and kindness. Bashardoust weaves a compulsively readable modern queer fairy tale that is part fantastical adventure and part allegory. An author's note gives background about the book's origins, including the Persian epic tale of the Shanahmeh and Zoroastrian theistic notions of the creator and destroyer, as well as about its use of "a combination of words taken from Old Persian, Middle Persian, and modern Persian."

Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) K-3 Translated by Azita Rassi. Illustrated by Marjan Vafaeian. Persian merchant Mah Jahan collects birds and keeps them "in cages...so that they couldn't...leave her." When her favorite, a parrot, asks her to visit its former colony in India, she does and is shocked when one of the wild birds drops dead. Back home, Mah Jahan tells her parrot what happened--and it drops dead. But it's a ruse: the parrot's friends sent "a story...to teach me how to escape." A thought-provoking, visually striking retelling originally published in Tehran.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(4) PS Illustrated by Alessandra Psacharopulo. A sometimes-forced rhyming text describes the lead-up to Purim, including the change in seasons and activities such as baking hamantaschen and making costumes. Simple, cheerful illustrations show family and friends celebrating. It's a useful introduction to many aspects of the holiday, including a brief reference to its origin ("When we read... / that Queen Esther's great bravery protected the Jews... / Purim is here!").

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Francesca Assirelli. Grandma tells Talia the story of Purim while they bake hamantaschen; Talia's fanciful mishearing of the cookie's name gives it a bum rap in her eyes until Grandma sets her straight. Bright, warm illustrations--purple-tinged in the portions showing Queen Esther et al.--are stronger than the thinly plotted text. "Talia's Haman-TUSHIES" recipe is appended (adult supervision required).

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Discover Ancient Civilizations series. For upper-elementary-school students, these introductions to ancient civilizations cover origins, government, religion, contributions to culture worldwide, as well as other related topics. The accessible and easy-to-read texts are supported by plenty of well-chosen and -captioned color photos and reproductions. Some sections attempt to span centuries, making those parts seem rushed. Maps, reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Discover Ancient Civilizations titles: Discover Ancient China, Discover Ancient Egypt, Discover Ancient Persia, Discover Ancient Mesopotamia, Discover Ancient Rome, and Discover Ancient Greece.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jim LaMarche. A grain of sand in the vast ocean feels worthless. But when it becomes the center of a pearl, later presented to a Persian princess, it knows it's important. While the acrylic paintings create a radiant setting for this softly told story about feeling special (and how pearls are made), the emotions of a grain of sand may not resonate with children.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Weber. In this faithful retelling of the Purim story, beautiful Esther becomes queen of Persia and saves her fellow Hebrews from wicked Haman. Kimmel's storytelling is straightforward and natural (though the text may be too long for younger children). Weber's rich jewel-toned illustrations are a treat, evoking the grandness of the royal setting and the intense emotions of the characters.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Yeats's family is falling apart as his often-depressed father strains his mother's patience. To salvage their relationship, Yeats must travel into a volume of The Arabian Nights to save his father's childhood friend, stuck within its pages for twenty years. An engaging premise, varied characters, and lush setting help overcome the wordy prose and sometimes-plodding action.

Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore

(4) 4-6 Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses series. Illustrated by Albert Nguyen. This series highlights the accomplishments of "real princesses" from a wide range of geographies and time periods; these women helmed armies, sailed ships, and led nations. Each (uninspiringly designed) volume opens with a pronunciation guide and includes maps, timelines, archival photos, and sections on food, clothing, and customs. Nguyen's cartoonish illustrations and Bridges's cheekily humorous text are entertaining. Review covers these Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses titles: Artemisia of Caria, Hatshepsut of Egypt, Isabella of Castile, Nur Jahan of India, Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, and Sorghaghtani of Mongolia.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) YA In this book based on true events, Samira and her family are Persian refugees during WWI. After her parents' death, Samira and her brother are shuffled among refugee camps. The novel effectively touches on issues of childhood and gender differences within the culture but is hampered by some stilted prose and flat characterizations.

Reviewer: Ashleigh Finn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Grizelda Holderness. Koralek faithfully retells a condensed version of the Bible story of Esther and how the Purim holiday came to be. Suspense builds in all the right places until the wicked Haman is punished and the Jews are saved. Holderness's richly colored pastel illustrations decorated with Persian-inspired motifs enhance the well-told tale.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska. Inspired by the 2003 Iranian earthquake and poet Rumi, Napoli tells the poignant, thought-provoking story of young Parisa, who is the lone human survivor of an earthquake. The animals refuse to accept her until she draws them in by doing "what humans do"--dancing, laughing, caring for flowers, and sharing food. Bold-hued, close-up illustrations with thickly applied paint command readers' attention.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 4-6 Translated by Jeannette Squires Okur. Illustrated by Erdinç Semen. These fables culled from the writings of thirteenth-century Persian poet Rumi stress virtue, good will, understanding, pragmatism, and respect for the human spirit. Like Aesop's, many of these tales involve animal characters whose actions instill reflective and moralistic interpretations of behavior and life. Each concludes with a moral. Unremarkable black-and-white sketches illustrate the text.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) YA Ancient World Leaders series. These books delve into historical, social, and political theories specific to each ancient world leader and, where applicable, to today. The texts, though informative, can be dry, and they sometimes jumble the details when explaining military campaigns and battle tactics. Archival photographs and sidebars break up the pages; additional maps, battle plans, and/or illustrations would have been helpful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Ancient World Leaders titles: Xerxes, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, Hannibal, and Darius the Great.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(4) YA Ancient World Leaders series. These books delve into historical, social, and political theories specific to each ancient world leader and, where applicable, to today. The texts, though informative, can be dry, and they sometimes jumble the details when explaining military campaigns and battle tactics. Archival photographs and sidebars break up the pages; additional maps, battle plans, and/or illustrations would have been helpful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Ancient World Leaders titles: Xerxes, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, Hannibal, and Darius the Great.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(4) YA Ancient World Leaders series. These books delve into historical, social, and political theories specific to each ancient world leader and, where applicable, to today. The texts, though informative, can be dry, and they sometimes jumble the details when explaining military campaigns and battle tactics. Archival photographs and sidebars break up the pages; additional maps, battle plans, and/or illustrations would have been helpful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Ancient World Leaders titles: Xerxes, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, Hannibal, and Darius the Great.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ande Cook. A wealthy man showers gifts upon his caged parrot but withholds what the parrot most craves--the freedom to fly away. Bright, lush tropical colors invite the reader into this tale of captive love and the powerful desire to be free. A foreword explains that the story is based on a tale by thirteenth-century Persian poet Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) YA Art Encounters series. A well-known painting and its creator feature in each of these works of historical fiction. In Garden, a Persian girl seeks refuge at an artists' colony. In Mountains, a Chinese American boy goes to live with his uncle in Shanghai. A wounded soldier (Napoleon) works for Jacques-Louis David. The tales are complex and engrossing, with the artists' techniques illuminated in the stories' contexts. Timeline. Review covers these Art Encounters titles: Deep in the Mountains, Jackal in the Garden, and A Brush with Napoleon.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 1-3 Sindbad the Sailor encounters sea monsters and the Old Man of the Sea; is enslaved by elephant hunters; and takes home Fatima, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, to be his wife. Dark, richly detailed pencil, colored-pencil, and watercolor illustrations add a Persian flair. The first-person retelling is abrupt at points, but on the whole, Sindbad's adventures will find favor.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam