The Patient Stone: A Persian Love Story [Hardcover]

Margaret Wolfson (Author, Narrator), Juan Caneba Clavero (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2001

A retelling of the traditional Persian tale of how the patient stone helps a mistreated young girl achieve her true destiny.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 & Up--In this retelling of a classic tale, Fatima hears a voice in a well prophesizing her death. The young woman then journeys across a desert, finds the Prince of Light with pins in his heart, and is given a task that requires patience and discipline. She does well until a "robber girl" tricks her, marries the prince, and turns her into a slave. Through a folkloric series of events, the prince, with the aid of the Patient Stone, learns the truth and marries Fatima. The ending leaves one major issue unresolved. What happened to the other young woman? All readers are told is that the prince and Fatima fall instantly in love, and on the very next day they set out on a long journey to her village for a grand wedding. No mention is made of the first wife. Pastel watercolors adorn the pages. Each spread holds the text on the left with an ornate border above and below on pastel-colored paper that blends with the full-page illustration opposite it. Although pleasant enough to look at, the decorative artwork doesn't do much to extend the story. An author's note includes information about the symbolism in the tale but not about its source. Unless there is a need for tales from Persia, which are few and far between, consider this a marginal purchase.

Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-7. Wolfson's re-telling of a classic Persian love story has appeal for young children drawn to fairy tale-quest stories and older children who can appreciate the story's messages about patience and bravery. A beautiful young woman, Fatima, flees through the desert and finds her way to an enchanted garden and a castle, where she discovers treasure, a sleeping young man, and instructions on how to break the spell that binds the sleeper. Before she succeeds she finds true love and faces temptation, heartbreak, and great trial. The romantic pictures, suffused with rich light and sensuous images, are equally striking whether depicting the desert, the garden, the castle, or the handsome sleeping prince. An informative author's note explains the allegorical underpinnings and images and symbols from mystical Persian literature and lore. This engrossing, enlightening tale uses action to deliver the message and works well on several levels. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books; 1st Ed. edition (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841480851
• ISBN-13: 978-1841480855
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,305,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so good even my teenager listened!, December 31, 2001

By 

Bibi Jordan (Woodland Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Patient Stone: A Persian Love Story (Hardcover)

A wonderful book! So lyrically written and beautifully illustrated
that it held the attention of my 11 year old son and 17 year old daughter
when I read it aloud to the family. Especially interesting were the author's
well-written notes at the end of the book that explained the symbolism used in the book.
As a result, the book was not only entertaining but gave us an opportunity to learn
about the Islamic mystics, the Sufi, and to see how allusions and metaphors were used
enhance the story. Get this book for your children -- so you can read it yourself!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite new Wolfson book, September 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Patient Stone: A Persian Love Story (Hardcover)

Margaret's books always sing. They are like music. Her first, Marriage of the Rain Goddess was pure poetry--and this one, her third, is similar. It is refreshing to find such writing in children's books. The illustrations are breathtaking. This book is like a dream.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars magical, mystical, mysterious, September 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Patient Stone: A Persian Love Story (Hardcover)

A beautiful and unusual story. The writing is like rare jewels, and the illustrations are extraordinary. I enjoyed this book because it featured a female who undergoes a spiritual transformation. Because of the rich inner story this makes an excellent book for adults as well--particularly for lovers of the poet Rumi. Superb.