{"id":23291,"date":"2014-03-22T14:58:14","date_gmt":"2014-03-22T18:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=23291"},"modified":"2014-03-22T14:58:14","modified_gmt":"2014-03-22T18:58:14","slug":"review-of-shahnameh-retold-by-elizabeth-laird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=23291","title":{"rendered":"Review of Shahnameh, retold by Elizabeth Laird"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Shahnameh<\/p>\n

The Persian Book of Kings<\/em><\/p>\n

retold by Elizabeth Laird
\nillustrated by Shirin Adl<\/p>\n

Frances Lincoln Children\u2019s Books, 2012. 135 pages.<\/p>\n

I loved fairy tales when I was a child. This book contains stories in the fairy tale style that I\u2019ve never heard before.<\/p>\n

This is from the Introduction:<\/p>\n

Iran (often known as Persia in the west) is a land of stories. There are so many that they could fill hundreds of books and take years to tell. Some of the best of them are found in the Shahnameh<\/em>, or \u201cBook of Kings,\u201d a very long poem which was written a thousand years ago by a great Persian poet called Ferdowsi.<\/p>\n

People in Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and all over the mountainous lands of Central Asia know the stories of the Shahnameh<\/em>. They have told and retold them through the centuries, from one generation to the next. Professional storytellers recite Ferdowsi\u2019s verses in tea houses by the roadside. Farmers relate them to each other as they rest in the shade of their fruit trees during the hot months of summer, and mothers and fathers tell them to their children as they huddle indoors round the fire in the cold of winter.<\/p>\n

Iranians love to hear about what happened at the beginning of time, how the first kings ruled in glory, how the great age of heroes dawned, how champions like Sam, Zal and Rustam rode out on their fiery horses to fight wicked demons, and how brave women, like Rudabeh and Gordafarid, conquered the heroes\u2019 hearts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And that\u2019s what you\u2019ll find in this volume, tales of kings and heroes, battles, tricks, and love stories.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not crazy about the art, but the simple flat style suits the subject matter, having a look of primitive art from ancient times, as well as plenty of floral decorations.<\/p>\n

This book tells American children about folktales they may not have heard before.<\/p>\n

franceslincoln.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/shahnameh.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a>