Two Parrots

by Rashin Kheiriyeh (Illustrator)

Rashin, an award-winning new artist from Iran, brings Rumi’s classic to life!   A plucky parrot living in the home of a wealthy merchant appears to have everything: the love of his owner, the best food, and a golden cage. But, despite all this, the parrot is sad. The merchant will do anything to make his parrot happy! But will he be willing to set his beloved pet free?   Rashin’s colorful and lively illustrations bring a fresh and distinctive perspective to this thoughtful classic about what is most important in life.  

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Middle East, Childrens, India, Folklore, Folk Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2013

About the author

Rashin Kheiriyeh was born in Khorramshahr, Iran. She received a PhD in illustration and an MFA in graphic design from Alzahra University in Tehran. She has published over eighty books in countries around the world and created illustrations for The New York Times. Rashin was named a 2017 Maurice Sendak Fellow and was the winner of the New Horizon Award at the Bologna Book Fair. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and lives in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Michaela Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine why a reviewer would gush over this book yet give it only 3 stars. The concept is brilliant - based on a traditional poem by 13th-century Persian poet Rumi, here is the story of a caged bird yearning to be free. In today's world that feeds the greed of beauty, the exotic pet trade has created a horror of unwanted birds overflowing in rescue shelters and diminishing species due to habitat encroachment and poachers.

Beautifully told and designed, this is a universal story that needs to be told to all of our children, in the hopes that they may love and treat our world with better respect than our current generations have.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vibrant and comical illustrated adaptation of a Rumi tale.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wealthy merchant was given a beautiful parrot which he loved and put into a golden cage, but the bird was not happy. Before leaving on a trip, the merchant asked his servants what special gift would they each like him to bring back for them. When asking his parrot the same thing, the parrot told him to find his friend and give him a message. The merchant was astonished with the results.
This is an ancient fable from Persia, vibrantly illustrated.

[Fabian Williges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein wirklich schönes Bilderbuch - auch für Leser jenseits der 4 Jahre. Den Text finde ich an einzelnen Stellen etwas unglücklich. Aber die farbenfrohen Illustrationen machen dieses Manko definitv wett.

[Amanda E · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful tale inspired by Rumi, an Aesop's fable feel to the story.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrated retelling of a story by Rumi.

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sneaky, sneaky parrots! A folktale and somewhat of a trickster tale.

[Mrittika Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this adaptation of a tale from Rumi, a wealthy Persian merchant receives a parrot as a gift from his Indian friend. He loves this parrot with all his heart. But the parrot refuses to talk to him and is very unhappy despite having seemingly everything-- a shiny golden cage, food, and love from its owner. The merchant is ready to give the parrot everything to make it happy, except for one thing that the bird wants the most—freedom. But luckily the parrot is very intelligent and tricks the merchant into setting him free. Quirky and witty illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyeh accompany this clever and fun tale to make it yet more delightful. In her vibrant illustrations, she gives us a taste of the exotic landscape of Persia, local people, and their traditional way of living.

This is a great book to stir up a conversation with children about the concept of freedom and its importance in life over any material possessions. It also gives the adults a chance to ponder over the similar mistake we make in our own lives like the merchant. When we love someone deeply, we sometimes start to operate from a fear of losing them and inadvertently build a cage around them. But love should not be suffocating, love should be liberating. Only when we liberate our loved ones, we feel the joy of true companionship. And this book, with its wit and humor, reminds us just that.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by a tale by Rumi, this picture book takes an allegorical look at imprisonment and freedom. A Persian merchant receives a parrot as a present and places him in a golden cage. When the merchant heads out on a trip to India, he asks the parrot what gift he can bring back. The parrot asks him to find his parrot friend and explain that the parrot would love to see him but is unable to due to his cage. The merchant does as is asked and when he tells the parrot of his friend in the cage, the parrot falls down dead. The merchant returns home to his parrot and has to tell him about the death of his friend. At which point the parrot in the cage falls down dead too. The merchant lifts the dead bird out of the cage and the bird promptly comes back to life and flies out the window to freedom. The merchant is forced to admit the importance of freedom to living things. Now he enjoys the beauty of the parrots free in his garden, uncaged.

This is not a straight-forward picture book, rather it is a moral and ethical tale that unwinds in a more traditional way for the reader. It is a book that is best discussed with others who may see different aspects and different views in the story. Many children may not have experienced this sort of story before, one that is not difficult in terms of vocabulary but instead presents a more challenging subject in an allegorical way. Welcome to Rumi!

The art in the picture book is done by a young artist from Iran who has illustrated over 45 books for children. His work is bright colored and full of texture. The various papers used in his art have different textures and the colors are so strong and vibrant. They have a great mix of quirky modern and traditional style.

A delightful mix of traditional and modern storytelling, this picture book will get readers discussing and thinking about freedom and civil rights. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two Parrots is a classic tale from Rumi and illustrated by Rashin. A plucky parrot living in the home of a wealthy merchant appears to have everything: the love of his owner, the best food, and a golden cage. But, despite all this, the parrot is sad. The merchant will do anything to make his parrot happy! But will he be willing to set his beloved pet free?

Two Parrots is a classic tale that many of us have heard in some form. A bird lives in a gilded cage and is given everything he could possibly need, but is unhappy because despite everything he is still captive. Using his wit the parrot tricks the merchant into setting him free, which in turn makes the merchant sad. It is only in the return of the parrot and conversation between the pair that the realization that captivity and love do not survive together. Freedom is a need, and in giving that the merchant was able to gain a true friendship with the parrot. The bright, colorful illustrations really bring the story a fresh feel and new life. A simple story that can be widely enjoyed.

I would recommend Two Parrots for readers that enjoy seeing folklore and its re-tellings from around the world. The artwork by Rashin matches the story and will interest readers of all ages.

[Kathryn West · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this as an ARC via Netgalley from the publisher, Smith Publicity*. There was some formatting errors in the e-version, on both my Kindle and my Kindle app via Android platform. This affected the first part of the story but not the illustrations. I was able to get the gist however and as I was reading it to my 20 month old (and he can't read!) it did not matter particularly. The story is a classic Persian fable about a merchant who tries to cage his parrot but learns that wild creatures are more beautiful and happy when they are free. The story is sweet and has a good moral to it but where this book really comes into its own is the illustrations. They are breathtaking and for them alone the book is worth buying in print! The originals must have been amazing. Although the story was not of huge interest to K compared to others, he loved looking at the pictures and that makes it a recommendation from us!

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Persian merchant received a beautiful parrot as a gift, while in India. He took it home and put it in a golden cage. However, the bird did not thrive there. On his next visit to India he visited the parrot's friend, as requested by his bird. He passed along a message, upon which the parrot's friend died. Or did he? Returning home, the merchant tells his parrot the sad story only to have his own parrot fall to the floor of the cage. But, when he opens the cage to investigate it turns out the bird was faking it, and he flies free. Eventually the merchant agrees that freedom is a better choice and enjoys the occasional visits of his parrot. This story is adapted from one of the 13th century stories of the poet Rumi. The illustrations are vivid and aptly reflect the Persian culture in which the story is based. It would be a lovely addition to multicultural collections, but the story might not immediately resonate with those raised in a western culture.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did a search for "most popular poet in America" and did indeed find many hits for Rumi - his lessons are as true today as when he wrote them in the 1200's!
This story focuses on one of his wonderful lessons, but the way it is presented here would need guidance from an adult. It may be accessible for readers who are able to make inferences.
Bright illustrations on two-page spreads present predominance of green and red, which may lead some of our younger students at first sight to think this could be a Christmas story. On one page, a table has a shadow going across the floor with no apparent light behind it, yet the chair and clock beside it have no shadow. Shows many examples of Persian writing, and designs on the clothing, and furnishing.The text is a bit difficult to read when it is against many of the darker pages.
Great introduction to Persia, and poetry.

[Ana Calabresi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of two parrots was inspired by a poem by 13th century Persian poet Rumi. It tells the story of a parrot who is given as a gift to a wealthy merchant on a trip to India. The merchant provides everything the parrot needs: food, comfort and a shiny golden cage. Yet, the parrot is always sad. The merchant wants to make his pet happy, but he will probably not be willing to give the parrot what he needs to be happy: freedom.

I loved the illustrations! So rich and colorful!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If a song or a story can survive a century or seven, I'm usually interested. This one is inspired from a tale by Rumi, a thirteenth century Persian poet, theologian and Sufi mystic. (Not a job description I encounter round the traps that often!) It's about a clever parrot and tells the 'if you love something, set it free' story. This is a gorgeous book, especially for the vibrant artwork and beautiful Persian/Iranian design.

[Lisa C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable pictures and a classic theme (If you love something...) make this a very engaging story as well as being an accessible introduction to a "foreign" folktale. As a librarian, I can't help but think how a child's perception would be forever favorably altered if this were their first introduction to the Middle East. World politics aside, this is a fun little tale in any nation.

[Andréa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rashin's illustrations are quirky and colorful, making this a visually appealing book. I'm not particularly fond of the story itself, though, which is inspired by a Rumi tale.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Jayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about a man that keeps his parrot in a cage. The parrot is very sad because he is not free. This would be a good story to help explain why we can't make wild animals pet.

The illustrations are very vibrant.

[Pam Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC at BEA. The story is a traditional tale from Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet. The story is simple with a satisfying ending and beautiful illsutrations in bright colors. It would be interesting to read about the illustrations and the paper they were completed on!

[Cabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classical tale by Rumi about freedom, love and having the courage to let things go.

The illustrations and bright, amusing and easy to keep up with as you go through the book and having a wonderful morale at the end makes it even better.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Iranian illustrator's first book in the US. Vibrant illustrations bring to life a classic tale from the thirteenth-century Persian poet, Rumi. A message that seems worth sharing with young students.

[Zelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by Rumi's tale, this book is enjoyable and the illustration is lovely.
Really consider to buy it and give it to my nephew/niece.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC supplied by publisher via NetGalley

[Amanda Augsburger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple re-telling of Rumi's story about the importance of freedom, featuring beautiful illustrations. Rashin doesn't waste a word in this story, and the pacing is perfect for reading aloud.

[Susan]

Lovely book with lovely illustrations. Based on a story by Rumi.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel a bit torn on this book. The illustrations are wild, bright, and engaging. The story is a bit obvious (it literally says the lesson learned), but it reads more like a fable.

[Selena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moral to the story. If you love something, set it free. If it loves you, it will come back to you.

[Christine Turner]

Summary
Rashin, an award-winning new artist from Iran, brings Rumi's classic to life! A plucky parrot living in the home of a wealthy merchant appears to have everything: the love of his owner, the best food, and a golden cage. But, despite all this, the parrot is sad. The merchant will do anything to make his parrot happy! But will he be willing to set his beloved pet free? Rashin's colorful and lively illustrations bring a fresh and distinctive perspective to this thoughtful classic about what is most important in life.

Subject: Folklore -- Iran -- Juvenile literature.
Parrots -- Folklore -- Juvenile literature.
Tales -- Iran -- Juvenile literature.
Parrots -- India -- Juvenile literature.
Merchants -- Iran -- Juvenile literature.
Added Author:
Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī, Maulana, 1207-1273

Notes
Rashin Kheiriyeh was born in Iran. She studied graphics at Tehran University. Rashin is an illustrator and a film director. She has illustrated thirty-six books for children that have been published in Iran, France, Spain, Korea, Italy, and India.

Note: Used 2018 for the program on India.