Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves [Hardcover]

Margaret Early (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 1989 | Age Level: 7 and up

Rendered in the style of authentic Persian miniatures from the time of the Arabian Nights, Margaret Early's exquisite illustrations and decorative borders, enhanced with gold, make a perfect accompaniment to this timeless story.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is a beautiful edition of the classic tale from The Thousand and One Nights . Early's highly detailed, bordered illustrations offer tiny geometric mosaics in each picture, and combine dark greens, salmon pink, red, white and bronze to great effect. The characters, musical instruments and settings are all well suited to the tale. The book, however, is marred by complicated prose; the sentences are cluttered with grammatical turns and bends that slow the pace: "Thus it was that the robber chief, disguised in a long beard, came to be invited to eat in the house of the man he planned to kill." Sentences like this carry a certain weight and suspense, but as a staple of the prose style, they fail. Fortunately, the art alone is worth the price. The characters Morgiana and brave Ali Baba come through with great charm. All ages.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1 Up-- McVitty's measured retelling of this favorite tale from 1001 Arabian Nights provides inspiration for striking illustrations by Australian artist Margaret Early. Intensely colored, intricately patterned, and lavishly illuminated, her full-page paintings and decorative borders, modeled after 10th-century Persian miniatures, are suggestive of the "expensive silks and costly rugs" Ali Baba discovered in the robbers' cave. But, despite their elegance and sophistication, there is considerable storytelling power to Early's paintings. Figures and forms may be stylized, but the lines are graceful and flowing, and the compositions anything but static. Characters pose expressively in service of both illustrations and text and are distinguishable by both their features and their garb. One quibble: Early's lavish use of gold is impressive, but the resultant glare makes the text difficult to read in some lights. Still, this is a well-conceived and beautifully executed interpretation of a favorite tale. A welcome addition to folklore collections large and small. --Marcia Hupp, Mamaroneck Public Library, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 25, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810918889
• ISBN-13: 978-0810918887
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous book, February 27, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Hardcover)

Walter McVitty's translation is superb, and Margaret Early's patterned and gold-bordered illustrations make this book a jewel in your hands.

This is the entire story, including dismemeberments, beheadings, and death by boiling oil. Don't say you weren't warned. It's a wonderful tale.

The illustrations feature intricate, elaborate settings -- every one of them is a masterpiece. This is just an amazing book.

3.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Children's Tale, February 12, 2010

By 

Jeff (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Hardcover)

I remembered reading this title as a kid. I ordered it for my nephew for Christmas but after re-reading it as an adult I decided not to give it to him. There are multiple murders in this book, through either beheading or being boiled alive in hot oil. It's definitely not a book for young kids. Each page has it's own artwork showing what's going on in the story. On one of those pages, a man is shown standing over another man with a scimitar, about to chop his victims head off. The artwork is well done. Each picture has something interesting in it to look at.

I suppose the book might be OK for someone who is old enough to have learned of the conflicts between good and evil that the Bible teaches. Please keep in mind I don't have any kids of my own.