The Arabian Nights

Lebanese author Wafa' Tarnowska opens a window into the Arab world with her magnificent new translation of eight stories from 'A Thousand and One Nights'. With bright, lush, stylized acrylic illustrations, this collection of eight stories from 'A Thousand and One Nights' is designed for reading aloud, but in contrast to many watered-down versions, these tales may find their best audience with older elementary students and middle-schoolers. The long introductory story, Shahriyar Meets Shahrazade, tells of the shah's discovery of his beloved wife's betrayal and his shocking decision to marry a new bride every day and then order her death. Then he meets and marries Shahrazade, who persuades Shahriyar to keep her alive by telling him a riveting story each night. This edition is notable for combining favourites such as Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp with less familiar tales such as The Diamond Anklet and The Speaking Bird and the Singing Tree Throughout, the spacious paintings capture the sense of the supernatural in daily life, including magical images of people taking flight above city, trees, and desert. A chapter book AGES: 9-12 Colour illustrations