Customer Reviews

Neem the Half-Boy

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Last month I saw an amazing documentary ("Boys Will Be Men") about an intervention program for at-risk boys. The kids were told a adult version of this same story about a half-boy who is ostracized and searches for his other half. They were asked to interpret the story in the context of their own lives using poetry. The kids came together to perform the poems, astounding their parents. Clearly, the notion of being incomplete, of having to overcome great difficulties to find oneself, is very meaningful for kids today. And this wonderful book is a great way to bring the experience to even very young children. As a psychologist and a parent, I highly recommend it.

[....] It's clear that we need to provide our kids - especially boys - with tools to counter the violence and knee-jerk aggression ubiquitous in popular culture. These children's stories by Idries Shah are just this kind of tool. They're not preachy. They don't offer simplistic lessons or moral platitudes. They're more like exercises for "mental muscle groups" grossly underdeveloped in this culture: A strong sense of one's own value. Empathy. Flexibility in thinking and responding. Appreciating that not everyone is the same, not every outcome is predictable. Seeing that there are more than two sides to a situation. A sense that patience and perseverance can pay off, sometimes in unexpected ways. Not demanding easy answers. A sense that things are not always as they seem, that the viewpoint of "experts" - or even the whole community - is not always right. The experience of seeing something that even adults don't see, of creating clever solutions. The sense that taking positive action is possible and rewarding-even when one has to buck the tide. That help can come from where and when we least expect it. The sense that life has interesting "loose ends" for us to reflect on. And so much more. At least one of these books should be on every child's book shelf.

We picked this up at the library, and it quickly became a favorite of both of our daughters (2-years and 4-years), and ours as well. So much so that we're making sure we buy it so it arrives before we have to return the library's copy.

The story is told in a very unpretentious style. Many of the recent children's books we see are so heavy with weight or wit that they are better for reading by yourself than to others. The simple sentences and matter-of-fact narrative in "Neem, The Half Boy" make it a pleasure to read aloud. It reminds me, in its honest simplicity of style, of Maurice Sendak's "Little Bear" stories and the writings of Arnold Lobel, and that's high praise for me.

Despite its simplicity however, there are powerful lessons here. The queen who starts eating a magic apple, only to lose focus and run off to do something else offers a familiar example for any child. "Do you know anyone who stops playing with a toy, and runs off to do something else, leaving the toy on the ground?" "Me." "Yup." The fact that it is also the cause of Neem's special condition makes the lesson memorable. Later, the Hich Hich fairies deliver a message from Arif the Wise Man to Neem incorrectly, with potentially dangerous results (Arif never says Neem has to drive the dragon away; the fairies add that themselves), and we were able to talk about the importance of saying what you mean and communicating what you hear accurately. Finally, the wisdom of the dragon in defusing Neem's aggressive approach with the simple question, "Why?", an honest explanation of his own situation and a willingness to share made the denouement of this book truly special and empowering. And, they all live happily ever after.

Bravo to Mr. Shah.

This is a charming folk tale of a boy who is only half a boy and needs to discover what it takes to become a complete person. Full of interesting suggested or symbolic meanings and at the same time a terrific story in itself for children who might appreciate fairy tale-type stories.

Fun to read again and again. An uplifting story with beautiful illustrations...and who can resist a dragon tale?