LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
It seems very infrequently that we in the UK get to see beautiful, and different, picture books from around the world. Happily, in this case, Elsewhere Editions have published In the Meadow of Fantasies originally from Iran.
A young girl is imagining whilst looking out of her window – and sees seven horses in the meadow. These are all different colours and all live in different places – except the seventh – which has no colour and no home. The six horses each share their colours and homes so that the seventh horse has many homes and all the colours of the others. Then they also share their wonderful dreams and fantasies with the seventh horse – so the horse has much to share with its foal when it is born.
This is a joyful book about sharing and imagination – simply drawn in a palette of mainly natural colours one would find in nature. Lots of illustrations have no words attached to them allowing the reader to concentrate on imagining what is happening. The sparse text has a poetic feel complementing the imagination and fantasy theme of the book.
Sharp eyed readers will discover the inspiration for the images at the end of the book! A wonderful opportunity to read a work in translation and appreciate the worldwide message that we all need fantasies and imagination.
Tricia Adams
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About
In The Meadow Of Fantasies Synopsis
A young girl with a physical handicap gazes up at a mobile of spinning horses from her little pink bed in her room filled with leafy plants. As she watches them prance about, the tufted snout of a real live horse peeks through her bedroom door. Soon enough, our bright protagonist is off and cantering on an adventure with seven majestic horses.
A story about dreaming and about caring for others, In the Meadow of Fantasies will remind young readers of their own reveries and conjure new fantasies of friendly creatures in far off lands.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781939810908 |
| Publication date: |
4th November 2021 |
| Author: |
Hadi Mohammadi |
| Illustrator: |
Nooshin Safakhoo |
| Publisher: |
Archipelago Books |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
42 pages |
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Press Reviews
Hadi Mohammadi Press Reviews
Not a folktale, not a poem, not a dream, but some whirling mixture of the three, this lulling recitation by Iranian author Mohammadi affirms generosity as a natural impulse . . . Repeating phrases and softly amusing drawings give this imaginative realm of loving-kindness a gossamer touch. - Publishers Weekly
This fantastical adventure draws readers in with lyrical text and mesmerizing illustrations. Each page turn reveals a new layer of fantasy . . . Deft composition pairs slightly rough, stonelike textures with exquisite details . . . Though the story is ultimately joyous, there's an emotionally compelling sense of longing that thrums just under the surface. - Kirkus Reviews
Delicate pen-and-ink drawings filled with watercolor wash relate a dreamy story of a little girl confined to bed . . . The girl's legs are encased in splints, but a spinning mobile of horses overhead provides comfort and diversion . . . I especially enjoyed the animals arrayed at a dinner table with plates of grass, each with their fanciful dreams erupting from the heads. - Youth Services Book Reviews
Between the captivating art, the lyrical narration, and the fantastical story, readers will be swept away into a little girl's wonderland . . . In the Meadow of Fantasies is an ode to imagination and a celebration of beautiful creation. - Victoria DiMassa, Glass of Wine and Milk
When you pick up this book, you are holding something precious in your hands-a velvety, folkloric tale of seven horses and the young disabled girl who dreams of them from her bedroom . . . Nooshin Safakhoo's breathtaking illustrations left me sighing in awe and contentment. A dream of a book! - Mary Wahlmeier Bracciano, Bookseller at The Raven Book Store (Lawerence, Kansas)
Author
About Hadi Mohammadi
Hadi Mohammadi is a distinguished Iranian children's book writer, researcher, and critic. He began his career as a freelance writer at the age of 22 and has now published more than 40 novels and picture books for children and young adults.
A strong proponent of women's rights, Mohammadi has centered strong and confident girls as his heroines throughout his career. His work has been translated into several languages, including English, Thai, Turkish, Korean, and Arabic. He was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006.
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Translated by Sara Khalili - Sara Khalili is an editor and translator of contemporary Iranian literature. Her translations include Moon Brow and Censoring an Iranian Love Story by Shahriar Mandanipour, The Pomegranate Lady and Her Sons by Goli Taraghi, The Book of Fate by Parinoush Saniee, Kissing the Sword by Shahrnush Parsipur, and Rituals of Restlessness by Yaghoub Yadali. Her translation of Tali Girls by Afghan novelist Siamak Herawi is forthcoming from Archipelago.
