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Mischief in Fez
This is something of a modern Arabian Nights, except that its magic is of a gentler kind. The evil djinns play havoc with the peaceful household of Muhammed Ali until the good djinns come to the aid of Mousa, his little boy. The atmosphere of modern North African life is realistic, and the fairy tale is childlike. Fritz Eichenberg's illustrations carry out both of these effects perfectly, making this a very successful fairy tale in a most attractive book. - Kirkus Reviews
109 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1943
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 19, 2012
Long ago, way before the stories of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson, etc came along, there was an awesome little book called Mischief in Fez.
This long-out-of-print children's book has got adventure, mystery, intrigue and magic. It's hero is a little Moroccan boy named Mousa who lives with his widowed father Muhammed Ali, who is the most important judge in the city of Fez. After his father takes home a beautiful new bride, strange & mysterious things start happening in their household.
Poor Mousa becomes the primary suspect for all the evil mischief and he eventually gets help from a very unlikely ally, a small desert fox, a fennec named Baha.
There are several wonderful plate illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg, and the most mouth-watering descriptions of food I've ever read! I have a couple treasured old copies of this book, including one with a very rare intact dust jacket.
Hands down, this is my most favorite book of all time.
*Edit*
Copies of these rare books sometimes pop up on eBay. They go for $100 & up on Alibris. However, you can also find the story in Volume 3 of Collier's Junior Classic The Young Shelf of Books, "Magic in the Air". That's where I first discovered the story a long time ago when I was eight or nine.
This long-out-of-print children's book has got adventure, mystery, intrigue and magic. It's hero is a little Moroccan boy named Mousa who lives with his widowed father Muhammed Ali, who is the most important judge in the city of Fez. After his father takes home a beautiful new bride, strange & mysterious things start happening in their household.
Poor Mousa becomes the primary suspect for all the evil mischief and he eventually gets help from a very unlikely ally, a small desert fox, a fennec named Baha.
There are several wonderful plate illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg, and the most mouth-watering descriptions of food I've ever read! I have a couple treasured old copies of this book, including one with a very rare intact dust jacket.
Hands down, this is my most favorite book of all time.
*Edit*
Copies of these rare books sometimes pop up on eBay. They go for $100 & up on Alibris. However, you can also find the story in Volume 3 of Collier's Junior Classic The Young Shelf of Books, "Magic in the Air". That's where I first discovered the story a long time ago when I was eight or nine.
December 27, 2016
This is a magical and enchanting story. Published in 1943, this story takes place in Fez. The author had travelled extensively in Morocco, and was familiar with life there. I'm no expert on Islam, but one thing about this book that really stands out for me is its extremely positive and sympathetic portrayal of Islam and Muslims, something so sadly lacking in media today. I love how enthusiastically Hoffmann describes life in Morocco, and her descriptions of mosques, market-places, households and myths that make up the lives of its citizens are all well-observed and fascinating. The story centres on Mousa, whose father had just remarried. Mousa begins to suspect that his stepmother and her pet gazelle are not all they seem, and seeks the help of the good djinns (a cross between demons and spirits) to protect him from their influence. His help arrives in the most adorable form -- a clever and passionate fennec fox, who helps him in his quest to overcome bad djinns.
This book also contains some of the best descriptive writing about food I've ever read. It's a glorious story full of sumptuous details and delightful happenings, with gorgeous illustrations. It's a real shame it's not more widely read.
This book also contains some of the best descriptive writing about food I've ever read. It's a glorious story full of sumptuous details and delightful happenings, with gorgeous illustrations. It's a real shame it's not more widely read.
March 7, 2012
One of my absolute favorite stories when I was growing up and I would love to read this again. I remember reading this to my youngest brother, Andrew, when he was fairly young, and I believe this story was what ushered in his love of books, and his love of fantasy literature specifically. Between this short story and the movie "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger" I was hooked on Middle Eastern fairy tales.
October 9, 2013
This is a delightful book--a delicately wrought fantasy, the essence of magic realism. It is the tale of a Moroccan boy led on mystical adventures by a fennec -- a desert fox. I read Fez an untold number of times in the 4th grade; remembered it fondly over the decades; was fortunate to find a library copy a few years ago and read it with pleasure once again. I can safely state that (in my case at least) Ms. Hoffmann's book is for readers of all ages -- from 10 years to senior citizens. I should also state that lodged in my memory through the years, Fez informed my own writing. I thank Ms. Hoffmann for that as well. It was a pleasant mystery to me how an early-20th Century American woman could have such knowledge of Moroccan culture. Fortunately her heirs have now republished this little masterpiece. In so-doing they provide information I always suspected: The author was a uniquely adventurous spirit. She traveled alone in North Africa in the 1920s supporting herself by purchasing tribal rugs and "was a pioneer doing business as a single woman in a traditional Islamic culture." The book's illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg, are delicate line drawings in perfect harmony with the text. Eichenberg was an adventurous spirit in his own right. A left wing graphic artist opposed to the Nazis, he fled Hitler's Germany and made his way to New York. There he taught at The New School -- and provided the fine drawings for Fez.
March 10, 2017
Mischief in Fez is a story I read over and over again as a child. It was featured in one of the many anthologies of children’s literature my parents had. I’ve always remembered the story, but until recently, I couldn’t remember the name—until I did a quick Google search. Then, to my delight, my library carried it. I was all set to delve once more into a beloved childhood story.
Mischief in Fez may be short, but it’s full of myth and culture in a way that I don’t feel is haphazard or disrespectful at all. It’s almost reverent, in a way, of Middle Eastern beliefs, and it reads as if Hoffman actually spent some time in the area. Perhaps other people feel differently, but I feel as if Mischief in Fez is an accurate, if a small representative sample, of Middle Eastern culture. And to be honest, that’s not seen a lot today—for various reasons.
The story/novella is quite short, so there’s not much else I feel I can say about it besides the story is good: suitably tense in places and delightfully heartwarming in others. What I remembered most is the little fennec, Baha, and he is definitely the star of the show, even more so than Mousa, who I scarcely remembered at all.
Mischief in Fez is a perfect read-aloud or read-along book for children, with plenty to discuss about myth, certain aspects of Middle Eastern culture, and, most importantly, the drive to defeat evil. It’s a fond memory of my childhood, one I’m glad I decided to return to.
Mischief in Fez may be short, but it’s full of myth and culture in a way that I don’t feel is haphazard or disrespectful at all. It’s almost reverent, in a way, of Middle Eastern beliefs, and it reads as if Hoffman actually spent some time in the area. Perhaps other people feel differently, but I feel as if Mischief in Fez is an accurate, if a small representative sample, of Middle Eastern culture. And to be honest, that’s not seen a lot today—for various reasons.
The story/novella is quite short, so there’s not much else I feel I can say about it besides the story is good: suitably tense in places and delightfully heartwarming in others. What I remembered most is the little fennec, Baha, and he is definitely the star of the show, even more so than Mousa, who I scarcely remembered at all.
Mischief in Fez is a perfect read-aloud or read-along book for children, with plenty to discuss about myth, certain aspects of Middle Eastern culture, and, most importantly, the drive to defeat evil. It’s a fond memory of my childhood, one I’m glad I decided to return to.
August 28, 2019
i loved everything about this book.. my first introduction to Morocco, it's customs, the concept of a djinn, the concept of a step parent.. very interesting.. And it's interesting that I read this book as a child under the age of 10 and still recall vividly that pic of Fatima's husband the ostrich looking djinn with the huge eyes ... Frightful lol and the way that a sound was made before he appeared
May 7, 2015
Utterly delightful little children's book from the 40s. The "mischief" in the title is being perpetrated by a pair of wicked djinn in disguise; the hero is a young boy named Mousa who takes the interlopers on with the able assistance of a benevolent djinn. Marvelously written old-fashioned tale with great illustrations.
January 22, 2016
Exceptional! This is a wonderful book that should be more widely available (alas, someone will object to the Muslim aspects, either because they are inaccurate or for some other reason). There is a wonderful flavor not found in other works. The Eichenberg illustrations are not to my taste - a bit too cartoonish.
June 27, 2021
One of my earliest book memories. I read this when I was ten and it left an eternal impression.
June 18, 2013
Favorite story as a child...must have read it 50 times!
January 27, 2024
This is simply the greatest children's adventure story there is. It has all the magic vibe of the Arabian nights, but imbued with the culture of Morocco: the food, the religion, folk myth. Just amazing. Id recommend it to adults. I read it when I was ten and it still inspires me, particularly the descriptions of the food, lol. I'm finally whipping up the pigeon pie, bastilla, described on page 92 tomorrow, lol.
February 3, 2020
One of my favorite stories as a kid, I had fun sharing it with my daughter. A little bit like Arabian Nights, but more for children.
January 15, 2025
4.5
A Middle Eastern Harry Potter with a cute little fox. We did this as a homeschool read aloud. It was a good introduction to families and the magical culture of Islam.
A Middle Eastern Harry Potter with a cute little fox. We did this as a homeschool read aloud. It was a good introduction to families and the magical culture of Islam.
August 21, 2012
one of my favourite childhood stories
December 15, 2014
What a charming book. A true classic that deserves to be passed down from generation to generation
April 29, 2014
A wonderful fairytale set in a desert location.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews