The Middle East & North Africa
Iran
In the Meadow of Fantasies
By Mohammad Hadi Mohammadi, Sara Khalili (Translator), Nooshin Safakhoo (Illustrator)
In the Meadow of Fantasies. Mohammad Hadi Mohammadi. Translated by Sara Khalili. Illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo. Elsewhere Editions, 2021. Originally published as Haft Asb Haft Rang in Farsi by the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature, Tehran, in 2017. ISBN 9781939810908. 42 p. (Ages 3-7). Picture book.
Seven horses, six colorful and one mysteriously colorless, transport a young disabled girl from her bed to a dreamy world where she learns of the power of compassion and imagination. Winner of the 2022 Batchelder Award. [ea]
A Sweet Jam
By Hūshang Murādī Kirmānī, Caroline Croskery (Translator)
A Sweet Jam. Hūshang Murādī Kirmānī. Translated by Caroline Croskery. CreateSpace, 2015. Originally published as مرباى شيرين in Farsi in 1998/1999 by Muʻīn in Tehran. ISBN 1507886241. 158 p. (Ages 9-12). Fiction.
A stuck jam jar sends 12-year-old Jalal to his teachers, neighbors, family, and anyone else who can help. Jalal’s mission to eat his breakfast contains a story of courage, persistence, and community. Well known within Iran, Kermani’s work has been widely translated and regularly wins international book awards. [ea]