Sofia's Rainbow

by Lina Simoni, Laura Furlan (Illustrator)

In Istanbul, Sofia is a lonely girl who dreams of climbing rainbows. She spends long hours on her terrace overlooking the waters of the Golden Horn waiting for a rainbow to approach. She befriends Incir (In-jir), a stray kitten who eats figs and is afraid of heights. Sofia mocks Incir for his oddities and bullies him when he refuses to spend time on the terrace with her. When she finally climbs her rainbow and the rainbow begins to thin out, it is Incir who, despite his fear of heights, runs up the rainbow and leads Sofia to safety. Sofia learns the importance of tolerance and respect for diversity.

48 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2011

About the author

Lina Simoni was born in Genoa, Italy and has been a resident of the US since 1988. She is the author of two novels, award-winning "The Scent of Rosa's Oil" (Kensington 2008,translated into German and Greek) and "The House of Serenades" (Moonleaf Publishing 2012). She is also the author of "Sofia's Rainbow" (Laura Furlan illustrator), a children's book that donates to children's literacy programs. At the moment she is working on her third novel, "The Cabinet Spell," and on a collection of short stories. Simoni lives in California with her two cocker spaniels, Biscuit and Simon.

Reviews

[Allizabeth Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Description:

Sofia is a beautiful, but lonely, little girl who dreams about climbing rainbows in her home city of Istanbul (Turkey), but the stray kitten she befriends, Incir, only wishes to eat figs and hates heights. Although she likes Incir, she wishes he was more like her, and berates him about his fears, until the day she climbs a dissipating rainbow and Incir jumps in to rescue her.

Review:

As always, I love when a children's book has a strong message, and Sofia's Rainbow has lessons to teach - Just because someone/something is different, does not mean that they cannot be your friend; sometimes the differences make better friendships. I liked how Sofia and Incir interacted throughout the book, their relationship changing because neither of them wanted the same things. Many children (readers) can relate to this story-line because it is not always easy to embrace people/things/behaviors that are unfamiliar or strange. This is why there are so many children, and adults, who are bullied and mistreated today. No one has taught these individuals that it is the differences that make us who we are, which is why this book is so important for children to read. Lina Simoni's creative and well-written story is full of wonderful cultural references and challenging vocabulary. There are forty-eight pages, each containing one or more of Laura Furlan's beautiful poly-chromatic illustrations. I especially enjoyed the depictions and expressions of Sofia and Incir, and I know that kids will too! A very unique children's book recommended for all ages!

Rating: Clean Getaway (5/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Bostick Communications) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique book. It is set in Istanbul. Sofia has long curly hair. She and her father lives on the Eastern shore of the Golden Horn. Her father is a shoemaker. Some days she goes and helps him in his shop. Most of the time she stays in her bedroom on the top floor of their home. She loves standing on the terrace looking out over the water and watching for rainbows. She is a lonely girl. She believes if she could ever climb to the top of a rainbow then she could find a friend.
One day she and her father find some kittens. Her father lets her take one home. She chooses the smallest kitten and takes him home. She can’t get him to stop crying or get him eat. She tries to feed him milk and he rejects it. When she begins to warm it she notices him eating a fig. She soon learns he is a strange cat. He loves figs, sleeping around her neck and laying on his back with his belly exposed. She tries to get him to join her on the terrace but the cat is scared of heights.

Angry that her cat is strange she begins to ignore it. One day her wish comes true. She sees a rainbow that comes close enough she can climb it. Part way up she gets scared. She calls for help. She is surprised to see her cat come to the rescue. She discovers friends don’t always have to like the same thing you like. They can be different and still be your friend.

Very cute book with a wonderful message.

[Lina Simoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the author, and the reason I am writing this review is to let you know that the publisher, the illustrator, and I donate $2.00 for every book sold to children's literacy programs. Buy Sofia's Rainbow and help us support a worthy cause. Thank you!