The Arabian Nights: Or, Tales Told by Sheherezade During a Thousand Nights and One Night (Books of Wonder) [Hardcover]

Brian Alderson (Adapter), Michael Foreman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 1995 | Age Level: 1 and up

Journey back to the magic days of sultans and caliphs, and become entranced by a brave young woman named Sheherezade as she weaves one dazzling tale after another, night after night for a thousand and one nights.

This classic collection of timeless stories from Arabia, India, and Persia re-creates a fabulous world of sorcerers and sages, as well as ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations.

Brian Alderson brings out all the humor, enchantment, suspense, and mystery of these delightful stories. Included in this lively collection are Sheherezade's most magnificent and beloved stories: "Aladdin," "Sindbad the Sailor," and "All Baba and the Forty Thieves." Remaining faithful to their Eastern origins, the author presents them in a manner ideally suited for reading aloud.

Michael Foreman's one hundred and twenty stunning illustrations and decorations-highlighted with gold ink -- capture all the excitement and magic of the original tales in a sumptuous book you will return to again and again.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up?An enticing collection for mature readers. The book has the look of an ancient Arabian manuscript with its detailed borders and invocation to Allah. Alderson's concluding remarks explain his selection of stories as well as his reasons for retelling them in a certain way. He sets them within the frame of Sheherezade's retellings over "a thousand nights and one," and readers will be immediately caught in the storytelling web. He includes short, pithy tales such as "Ja'afar the Barmecide" and "The Tale Which Ali the Persian Told," as well as the humorous "Tale of the Hunchback" and the involved "Tale of the City of Brass." The language has an earthy, folksy quality that makes the stories accessible and works well for all of them except "Aladdin," in which his mum thinks he's "crackers" and uses the phrase "before you can say Jack Robinson." Alderson is not shy about mentioning farts or giving a big hint at what goes on in a pleasure garden. Neither is Foreman timid about these subjects in his paintings, which include full-and double-page spreads and miniatures rendered in a jewel box of colors. Their moods range from soft and feathery to sinister. The cover, an illustration from "Aladdin," is garish, but perhaps reflects the extent of Aladdin's gaudy, triumphant parade. Neil Philip's Arabian Nights (Orchard, 1994) is for slightly younger readers and contains fewer stories. Deborah Nourse Lattimore's Arabian Nights (HarperCollins, 1995) is for younger readers as well.?Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-8. Presenting a few dozen of the tales told by Scheherazade during the legendary 1,001 nights, this collection includes episodic stories of Sinbad, Ali Baba, Aladdin, and the City of Brass, as well as a variety of individual tales and fables. Alderson writes in a flowing, sometimes colloquial style. In comparison with most children's versions of The Arabian Nights, this one retains more of the earthiness and vigor. For example, when the shah in the framework story finds his wife sleeping with a slave, he draws his scimitar and slices the lovers into four pieces. In text and art, this book charts a middle course between the bawdiness of the original stories and the antiseptic retellings generally available for young people. Foreman's deftly composed watercolor paintings vary in size from dramatic double-page spreads to smaller, bordered pictures reminiscent of Persian miniatures. Gold highlights in the artwork add a certain opulence to this handsome book, a lively edition for young people. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688142192
• ISBN-13: 978-0688142193
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasing versions of favorite tales, November 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Arabian Nights: Or, Tales Told by Sheherezade During a Thousand Nights and One Night (Books of Wonder) (Hardcover)

Presented alongside captivating illustrations, Alderson's charming version of the Arabian Nights is one that I would most highly recommend for reading by today's children. Although not a large book, it retains the tales-within-tales complexity of the original, and the flavor of the exotic that we have come to expect from the 1,001 Nights. Most of the more famous tales are included (Alladin, Ali Baba & 40 Thieves, an abbreviated Sindbad, etc). The language is accessible, yet not overly simplified, in a way that I think shows respect for young readers' intelligence.

I also appreciated Alderson's de-emphasis of cruelty, and I did not mind in the least the discreet references to sex (e.g., "after taking their pleasure together..."), but other people will have to judge for themselves what they would like to expose their children to. Personally, I think physical attraction is a lot healthier topic for children than violence, so I will have no problem sharing this version with my daughter when she learns to read.

Another important aspect of this translation of the Tales is that, while clearly modified for modern readers, this version retains the flowery and excessive references to the Majesty and Mystery of Allah -- in a manner which I think is totally appropriate for the topic and a necessary element for their appearance of authenticity.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book!, October 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Arabian Nights: Or, Tales Told by Sheherezade During a Thousand Nights and One Night (Books of Wonder) (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful edition with excellent pictures. An edition definitely worth adding to your collection of classics.

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GRRRRRRRRRRRRATE!!!!, March 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Arabian Nights: Or, Tales Told by Sheherezade During a Thousand Nights and One Night (Books of Wonder) (Hardcover)

The VERY BEST of all amazing stories!! daaaaamn this book is really AMAZING!!! you GOTTA read it!!