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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
Story about not listening to what others think and going about your business without letting people get to you. Based off of stories about Nasreddine that are told throughout the Middle East. I really liked the illustrations.
Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Familiar Experience/Emotion: Embarrassment
Country: Turkey
The artwork brings this traditional fable to life with amazing and unique angles and colors. I particularly enjoyed the white space for whenever Nasreddine and his father prepare the donkey to go to market.
Familiar Experience/Emotion: Embarrassment
Country: Turkey
The artwork brings this traditional fable to life with amazing and unique angles and colors. I particularly enjoyed the white space for whenever Nasreddine and his father prepare the donkey to go to market.
I love the perspective of each illustration - the zoomed out, sometimes slanted view of Nasreddine and his father. Not having known that Nasreddine was a classic character in the stories of the Middle East, I kept waiting for there to be something amusingly wrong with the donkey, and then the boy and his father would, through that, determine their message. Still, though, I enjoyed it.
This was a selection for the Butler Center's Mock CaldeNott - considering only picture books for children published outside the United States. Even though I wasn't able to attend the discussion, I got hold of all ten of the shortlisted books and quickly devoured them.
This was a selection for the Butler Center's Mock CaldeNott - considering only picture books for children published outside the United States. Even though I wasn't able to attend the discussion, I got hold of all ten of the shortlisted books and quickly devoured them.
Author and illustrator live in France. Published there in 2005 by Flammarion; 2013 in US by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Translated by Kathleen Merz.
Historical note says that "stories about Nasreddine are told throughout the Middle East and beyond. They are often said to be based on a real man who lived in Turkey during the Middle Ages." In this story Nasreddine is a boy who foolishly listens to what others say about him, until one day he goes too far, and his kind father, who has indulged him, reasons with him, and he gains wisdom. The illustrations are humorous, warm, engaging and appealing -- a real highlight.
http://www.rebeccadautremer.com/biblio/article/id/7/image/1
Historical note says that "stories about Nasreddine are told throughout the Middle East and beyond. They are often said to be based on a real man who lived in Turkey during the Middle Ages." In this story Nasreddine is a boy who foolishly listens to what others say about him, until one day he goes too far, and his kind father, who has indulged him, reasons with him, and he gains wisdom. The illustrations are humorous, warm, engaging and appealing -- a real highlight.
http://www.rebeccadautremer.com/biblio/article/id/7/image/1
#perspective #caring #confidence
Sometimes you get just the books you need pop up in your life. I've been slowly going through a huge pile of new picture books, because I don't want them to just disappear into the masses on the shelves and be lost forever. So I'm trying to make sure they hit the resource lists they need to hit and get the attention they deserve.
Today Nasreddine was one of them, and it was a story that I needed to read. One is often filled with self-doubt at events and comments toss one this way and that, and it's hard to keep treading a path that you hope is right while the 'peanut gallery' do everything to sway the confidence. This is a book about doing what you do without being overly influenced by silly comments or ideas and to "stay the path" as a wise father lets his son fail time and again and in the end realise that whatever he does someone will have a comment or criticism and he's best off making up his own mind.
A great book for librarians, because we're always being told whatever we do we could or should be doing something else!
Sometimes you get just the books you need pop up in your life. I've been slowly going through a huge pile of new picture books, because I don't want them to just disappear into the masses on the shelves and be lost forever. So I'm trying to make sure they hit the resource lists they need to hit and get the attention they deserve.
Today Nasreddine was one of them, and it was a story that I needed to read. One is often filled with self-doubt at events and comments toss one this way and that, and it's hard to keep treading a path that you hope is right while the 'peanut gallery' do everything to sway the confidence. This is a book about doing what you do without being overly influenced by silly comments or ideas and to "stay the path" as a wise father lets his son fail time and again and in the end realise that whatever he does someone will have a comment or criticism and he's best off making up his own mind.
A great book for librarians, because we're always being told whatever we do we could or should be doing something else!
A Middle Eastern parable of learning that you can't please everyone and can't avoid criticism no matter how hard you try. I would have liked that message to be a little less in your face at the end. It felt a little condescending to come out and tell the reader the message of the story, especially when it's pretty clear by the middle of the story what the point of it is.
Turkish folk tale
Teaches the lesson you can't worry about other people's remarks.
Quick author's note at the end about Turkish folk tales about the character "Nasreddine".
This book was on NY Times List of Best Illustrated Books List. I was a little disturbed by the picture of the father - it seemed like he had stilts for legs!
Teaches the lesson you can't worry about other people's remarks.
Quick author's note at the end about Turkish folk tales about the character "Nasreddine".
This book was on NY Times List of Best Illustrated Books List. I was a little disturbed by the picture of the father - it seemed like he had stilts for legs!
Nasreddine is worth picking up just to admire the cover and the artwork inside, but you should go ahead and read the delightful tale Weulersse has recorded inside. This one will go a long way for children and adults alike because no matter what young Nasreddine does, someone in the public sphere has something critical to say. Can such an old figure of wisdom in lore be any more timely?
Nasreddine is so small on the page, but always the most present that he does not risk insignificance—an important lesson to notice in and of itself. His father is marvelous and the world is rendered in such beautiful angles, colors and light.
Nasreddine is just a gorgeous book from text to image and back again. No doubt someone will want to read the French, but I found no trouble with Merz’s translation. This one is an absolute must!
* There is a “Historical Note” at the close. It tells us that Nasreddine is spoken of in many stories throughout the Middle East as a man who has the “ability to offer both wisdom and delight.” I am enchanted by the decision to render him as a child learning from his own wise father. Imagine this child growing up to continue in his delight and wisdom.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/gorgeously-rendered/
Nasreddine is so small on the page, but always the most present that he does not risk insignificance—an important lesson to notice in and of itself. His father is marvelous and the world is rendered in such beautiful angles, colors and light.
Nasreddine is just a gorgeous book from text to image and back again. No doubt someone will want to read the French, but I found no trouble with Merz’s translation. This one is an absolute must!
* There is a “Historical Note” at the close. It tells us that Nasreddine is spoken of in many stories throughout the Middle East as a man who has the “ability to offer both wisdom and delight.” I am enchanted by the decision to render him as a child learning from his own wise father. Imagine this child growing up to continue in his delight and wisdom.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/gorgeously-rendered/
Here is another wonderful folktale from the Middle Ages, believed to have originated in Turkey, which has a moral that so appropriate for today's world. But isn't timelessness the beauty of folktales.
Every week, young Nasreddine and his father, Mustafa, take their donkey and bring their wares to the market to sell.
When they bring their dates to market, a vizier tells Mustafa he is lazy for riding on the donkey and making his son walk. His words cause Nasreddine to return home in shame.
When they bring the sheep's wool to the market, Nasreddine devises a plan so that he can ride the donkey. Once again, they face criticism from a group of women who call Nasreddine disrespectful to his father by making him walk. Again, Nasreddine returns home in shame.
It is time to sell the chickens at the next market day, and this time Nasreddine insists both he and his father ride the donkey along with the caged birds. Yet again, there is criticism, this time for being so cruel to the donkey by making it carry so much. Nasreddine returns home again in shame.
A few days later, when it is time to sell the watermelons at the market, Nasreddine suggests that he and his father walk and the donkey would only have to carry the fruit. But, soon they are being followed by a group of laughing kids. One finally asked why they are walking and not riding. Another answers it is because they are stupid, Once more, shame visits Nasreddine.
Finally, on the next market day, Nasreddine suggests to his father the they carry the donkey so that no one can make fun of them. But has Mustafa had enough of Nasreddine's ideas? Is it finally time to impart some fatherly wisdom to Nasreddine? Yes, it is and that is just what he does.
Here is a wonderful folktale that not only speaks to its young readers, but also to any adult readers reading to children. Mustafa has the patience to watch as Nasreddine's attempts to solve the problem of weekly criticism, waiting until the moment is right for his son to hear what he says. And Nasreddine's attempts to deal with the weekly comments and laughter he and his father are the brunt of add some humor to this tale, so it is an easier one for children to take in.
There is a note at the end of the book that although the story has been retold and probably changed over time, Nasreddine still offers its reader wisdom and delight, and that is so true in this version of the story.
I loved the mix of bold and soft watercolor used in the different illustrations and the way Daubremer used a white background and vivid bright colors to highlight Nasreddine and Mustafa at home, then switched to full page illustrations in more muted colors when they were heading to the market. The palette of colors used give the story a definite Middle Eastern atmosphere.
A new edition of Nasreddine has come out this year (2012), but the one I read was from 2005, but they seem to be identical.
This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
Every week, young Nasreddine and his father, Mustafa, take their donkey and bring their wares to the market to sell.
When they bring their dates to market, a vizier tells Mustafa he is lazy for riding on the donkey and making his son walk. His words cause Nasreddine to return home in shame.
When they bring the sheep's wool to the market, Nasreddine devises a plan so that he can ride the donkey. Once again, they face criticism from a group of women who call Nasreddine disrespectful to his father by making him walk. Again, Nasreddine returns home in shame.
It is time to sell the chickens at the next market day, and this time Nasreddine insists both he and his father ride the donkey along with the caged birds. Yet again, there is criticism, this time for being so cruel to the donkey by making it carry so much. Nasreddine returns home again in shame.
A few days later, when it is time to sell the watermelons at the market, Nasreddine suggests that he and his father walk and the donkey would only have to carry the fruit. But, soon they are being followed by a group of laughing kids. One finally asked why they are walking and not riding. Another answers it is because they are stupid, Once more, shame visits Nasreddine.
Finally, on the next market day, Nasreddine suggests to his father the they carry the donkey so that no one can make fun of them. But has Mustafa had enough of Nasreddine's ideas? Is it finally time to impart some fatherly wisdom to Nasreddine? Yes, it is and that is just what he does.
Here is a wonderful folktale that not only speaks to its young readers, but also to any adult readers reading to children. Mustafa has the patience to watch as Nasreddine's attempts to solve the problem of weekly criticism, waiting until the moment is right for his son to hear what he says. And Nasreddine's attempts to deal with the weekly comments and laughter he and his father are the brunt of add some humor to this tale, so it is an easier one for children to take in.
There is a note at the end of the book that although the story has been retold and probably changed over time, Nasreddine still offers its reader wisdom and delight, and that is so true in this version of the story.
I loved the mix of bold and soft watercolor used in the different illustrations and the way Daubremer used a white background and vivid bright colors to highlight Nasreddine and Mustafa at home, then switched to full page illustrations in more muted colors when they were heading to the market. The palette of colors used give the story a definite Middle Eastern atmosphere.
A new edition of Nasreddine has come out this year (2012), but the one I read was from 2005, but they seem to be identical.
This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
Nasreddine and his father head to market together with his father riding the donkey along with a large basket of dates and Nasreddine walking behind. When some men criticize them for letting a boy walk in the mud, Nasreddine heads back home while his father calmly continues on. The next week, Nasreddine pretends to twist his ankle so that he can ride and his father walks. But onlookers once again make comments and Nasreddine heads home. The next time they head to market, the two of them both ride the donkey, but that doesn’t stop the comments either. Then they both walk and let the donkey just carry the items for market, but the criticisms are still made. Nasreddine makes one final try at fixing things: the two of them will carry the donkey!
The book ends with a note about the stories of Nasreddine which are told throughout the Middle East. This story like the others about him are a perfect mix of humor and wisdom. Here Nasreddine learns the hard way not to listen to the criticism of others. The way that his father deals with it is patient and an attempt to invoke Nasreddine’s common sense and let him learn it on his own. This adds to the merriment of the storyline as well as making for a very readable tale.
Dautremer’s illustrations have the feel of a folktale with a modern edge. The setting is clearly historical but the angles of the illustrations and their neat perspectives add lots of interest as well. Nasreddine himself is a beautiful little boy, his round face and red tunic making him stand out in any setting.
Perfect for sharing aloud, this book is a friendly and funny introduction to Nasreddine. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
The book ends with a note about the stories of Nasreddine which are told throughout the Middle East. This story like the others about him are a perfect mix of humor and wisdom. Here Nasreddine learns the hard way not to listen to the criticism of others. The way that his father deals with it is patient and an attempt to invoke Nasreddine’s common sense and let him learn it on his own. This adds to the merriment of the storyline as well as making for a very readable tale.
Dautremer’s illustrations have the feel of a folktale with a modern edge. The setting is clearly historical but the angles of the illustrations and their neat perspectives add lots of interest as well. Nasreddine himself is a beautiful little boy, his round face and red tunic making him stand out in any setting.
Perfect for sharing aloud, this book is a friendly and funny introduction to Nasreddine. Appropriate for ages 4-6.