Riding a Donkey Backwards: Wise and Foolish Tales of Mulla Nasruddin

by Sean Taylor, Khayaal Theatre Company, Shirin Adl (Illustrator)

Overview

Timeless wisdom is found in absurdity in these tales of an iconic Muslim character known as the sagest man in the village — and also its biggest fool.

Would you like to know how a thief can turn into a donkey? Whether a cow can climb a pole? Or why you should spoon yogurt into a lake? Mulla Nasruddin knows all the answers, and he might also tell you why he rides his donkey backwards. Whether in the guise of an imam in a mosque or a beggar in the street, this trickster is never at a loss for a rejoinder, though it may leave you scratching your head, rolling your eyes, or laughing out loud. Enjoy twenty-one classic tales about a much-loved character from Muslim cultures in a book packed with jokes, riddles, and wisdom and paired with vibrant, theatrical illustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536205077
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	08/13/2019
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sean Taylor is an author, storyteller, and teacher who has written numerous books for children, including The World Champion of Staying Awake, illustrated by Jimmy Liao, and Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise, illustrated by Jean Jullien. Sean Taylor divides his time between the U.K. and Brazil.

The Khayaal Theatre Company, based in the U.K., was cofounded by Luqman Ali and Eleanor Martin in 1997 to bring to life the poetry, stories, wisdom, imagination, and humor of Muslim cultures.

Shirin Adl, a British-Iranian illustrator of many books for children, says that the Mulla Nasruddin stories were an important part of her childhood, and that she is delighted to illustrate them for a new generation of children. She lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

05/06/2019

Is he a wise man or a fool? Though Nasruddin has many different names, the trickster about whom these stories are told is known throughout the Muslim world. Taylor (The Snowbear) and the U.K.-based Khayaal Theatre recount each story in a page or two. In the first, after a thief absconds with Nasruddin’s worldly goods, Nasruddin trails him all the way home and climbs into his bed. The thief asks him what he’s doing—“I thought we were moving to your house,” Nasruddin replies. In another, a begging Nasruddin takes big silver coins in preference to smaller gold coins, though they’re less valuable: “If I choose the gold coin,” he explains, “everyone will stop giving me money.” Diorama-like miniature sets by artist Adl (Mabrook! A World of Muslim Weddings) breathe energy and humor into the tales. The marketplace where Nasruddin begs features hand-formed copper pots, miniature bags of grain, and carpets that appear hand-embroidered. The paper cutout figures wear antic expressions and costumes of cut-out fabric. Young listeners will quickly grasp that often, it’s Nasruddin’s companions who might be the fools. A glossary of terms (Allah, imam) is included. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Is he a wise man or a fool? Though Nasruddin has many different names, the trickster about whom these stories are told is known throughout the Muslim world...Diorama-like miniature sets by artist Adl (Mabrook! A World of Muslim Weddings) breathe energy and humor into the tales.
—Publishers Weekly

In Adl's illustrations, Nasruddin has a long white cottony beard and wears a turban. Her use of electric-bright colors (orange, green, yellow, blue) exemplifies Nasruddin's eccentricity, while photocollaged textures add further interest...These tales, full of jokes and wisdom, demonstrate why the wise fool is a perennially appealing character.
—Kirkus Reviews

Humor, trickery, wisdom, and advice—sage and otherwise—infuse this collection of 21 brief tales starring Mulla Nasruddin, a beloved iconic character of Muslim folklore. The simple, clipped narrations are witty and conversational in tone, facilitating successful reading by the target audience and easy-to-comprehend listening (this is a fine readaloud for groups)...Recommended for schools and public libraries.
—School Library Journal

This charming collection of 21 classic tales introduces children to a much-loved trickster character from Muslim tales, the "wise fool" found in stories from cultures around the world.
—Buffalo News

From the Publisher

08/01/2019

K-Gr 3—Humor, trickery, wisdom, and advice—sage and otherwise—infuse this collection of 21 brief tales starring Mulla Nasruddin, a beloved iconic character of Muslim folklore. The simple, clipped narrations are witty and conversational in tone, facilitating successful reading by the target audience and easy-to-comprehend listening (this is a fine readaloud for groups). As is true for many anthologies, the quality of the collection is uneven. Some stories are more fully developed than others; in some selections, punch lines may not be as comprehensible; and morals, where they exist, may seem more obscure. Overall, however, the tales succeed, despite the brevity of some (the two shortest stories comprise a mere three and four sentences, respectively), and humor shines through. The colorful, energetic, and often comical mixed media collages are a draw. Characters' attire, home furnishings and decorations, architectural details, and landscapes suggest a Middle Eastern milieu. Text set against colored background pages heightens visual attractiveness. Additionally, the artwork is notable for inclusiveness, as characters' skin tones are depicted in various shades of brown. A short glossary is included. VERDICT Recommended for schools and public libraries. Students may enact and/or illustrate favorite stories or create original Nasruddin tales. Pair the stories with others about tricksters/wise men/fools from other cultures, e.g., Anansi, the Wise Men of Chelm, etc., and have children compare and contrast.—Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY

School Library Journal

2019-05-26
Mulla Nasruddin is a foolish man who is also known to be very clever sometimes.

Taylor and the U.K.'s Khayaal Theatre invite readers to meet the Middle Eastern Muslim folk character Nasruddin, also revealing that he is known by other names and plays many roles. In these 21 short tales, he appears as a husband, a neighbor, an imam, a young student, and more. One tale reveals an amusing, clever young Nasruddin falling asleep in class and failing to complete the assignment, a picture. When he shows his teacher a blank paper, he says, "I drew a donkey eating grass," claiming the grass was eaten by the donkey and "There was no more grass….So the donkey left!" In another, Nasruddin climbs into the bed of a robber who broke into his house and stole his furniture: "I thought we were moving to your house," he says blandly. Readers learn: why, when begging, Nasruddin takes a silver coin rather than a gold one and why, as an imam, he leaves the mosque without giving a sermon. In Adl's illustrations, Nasruddin has a long white cottony beard and wears a turban. Her use of electric-bright colors (orange, green, yellow, blue) exemplifies Nasruddin's eccentricity, while photocollaged textures add further interest. A short glossary is included, but sources are not.

These tales, full of jokes and wisdom, demonstrate why the wise fool is a perennially appealing character. (Folktales. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews