ماذا حصل لأخي رامز

سلسلة الدحنون

by Taghreed Najjar, تغريد النجار, مايا فداوي (رسوم)

كل شيء كان على ما يرام في حياة علوش إلى أن ظهرت ديمة في الصورة فقلبتها رأساً على عقب. يحاول علوش بكل الطرق أن يتخلص من هذه المتطفلة على حياته التي أخذت أخاه منه. ترى٬ هل من الممكن أن يتغير شعور علوش إتجاه ديمة؟
قصة طريفة تبحث بأسلوب فكاهي المشاعر المتضاربة التي شعر بها علوش عندما أنشغل عنه أخوه الكبير رامز بخطيبته ديمة.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens

72 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Taghreed Najjar is the founder of Al Salwa Publishing House. She is also a writer of children books and educational material related to story books. She works closely with schools and presents workshops for teachers and children. Many of her books have been adopted as supplementary readers by schools in the region.
Taghreed enjoys visiting schools for “meet the author” events and for story reading sessions of her latest books. She says, “It is an exhilarating experience interacting with my readers. I feel truly privileged to be a part of their childhood memories through my books.”
Some of her titles have been translated and published in English, Italian, Swedish, Turkish adn French.
Taghreed has travelled to many parts of the world to read her stories but now resides in Amman, Jordan with her family where she continues to write.
تعدّ تغريد النجار من رواد أدب الأطفال الحديث في الأردن. تخرجت من الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت عام 1973، وحصلت على بكالوريس أدب انجليزي ودبلوم في التربية والتعليم وتخصصت فرعيا بعلم النفس.
أول كتاب نشرته كان "صفوان البهلوان" عام 1978، وقد قامت بتأليفه وبتصميم رسوماته. بعد ذلك، نشرت لها "دار الفتى العربي" المشهورة في ذلك الوقت ثلاث قصص ثم قامت "المؤسسة العربية للدراسات والنشر" بنشر ست قصص لها.
عملت في سلك التعليم لعدة سنوات ثم عملت كمديرة لقسم النشر في مركز هيا الثقافي. في 1996 أسست تغريد النجار "دار السلوى للدراسات والنشر".
تكتب تغريد قصصًا مصورة موجهة إلى الفئة العمريّة الأولى 3+. وقد بدأت مؤخّرًا بكتابة روايات لليافعين، لاقت نجاحًا كبيرًا، واحتفى بها قرّاؤها على نطاق واسع، كما تم اعتمادها في المدارس كجزء من مناهجها الدراسية. تُرجم العديد من أعمالها إلى لغات أجنبية كالإنجليزية والسويدية والتركية ,والإيطالية. وقد فازت بعض كتبها بجوائز مهمة وأُدرج بعضها الآخر على اللوائح القصيرة لجوائز إقليمية،

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely little heartfelt sibling/peer relationship book.

I have three brothers and I’m the only girl.

There is 10 years between my eldest brother and myself, 7 years between my middle brother and myself. My little brother is 7 years younger than me.

The age gaps became apparent as my eldest two brothers got older and stopped taking me everywhere with them.

This is what happens in this book.

Ramez Is Aloush big brother, there are quite a few years between them but they’ve always had a great relationship and still does but now that his older brother has a fiancé it’s a natural progression he spends more time with her.

There’s a good moral and learning process within this story, a very enjoyable read.

I loved that this came through a different culture too.

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Crackboom for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved reading children’s books that dealt with families and I stumbled upon this unique little book called “My Brother and Me” which was by Taghreed Najjar along with artwork by Maya Fidawi and it was truly an amazing and sweet read!

Aloush is the youngest member of his family and he has an extremely close relationship to his older brother Ramez. Ramez would drive Aloush to school on his way to work every day and he would allow him to hang out with his friends whenever they were watching a football game. But one day, Ramez started getting too busy to hang out with his little brother Aloush and it turns out that Ramez has actually fallen in love with a woman named Deema and is planning on marrying her. Aloush is upset at this because that would mean that Ramez would spend even less time with him and it was then that Aloush decided to come up with a plan to ruin Ramez’s relationship with Deema!

Wow! I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did! Taghreed Najjar did a fantastic job at writing this story as I was interested in seeing Aloush’s relationship with his older brother Ramez and I even felt a bit sad for Aloush when his brother Ramez started spending less time with him. I always enjoyed reading books that dealt with families and Taghreed Najjar made me really love both Aloush and Ramez and their close relationship with each other. I also sympathized with Aloush as he was afraid of losing his older brother to Deema, even though he should not have tried to ruin his brother’s relationship with Deema in retaliation. I also loved the fact that this book apparently takes place in the Middle East since it is rare to read books from the Middle East and this book did a great job at conveying the culture of the Middle East. Maya Fidawi’s artwork was quite creative and cute to look at as all the characters have a scratchy yet adorable look to them and it made the artwork really stand out to me.

Overall, “My Brother and Me” was a truly cute children’s book about the importance of family and how you should not be afraid of anyone new moving into the family. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a rather cute story about a little brother who feels like he's getting pushed aside by his brother's new fiancee.

Ramez is a lot older than Aloush, so of course Aloush thinks he's pretty cool. The brothers spend quite a bit of time together, and Ramez lets Aloush tag along when he plays basketball or watches sports. But then Ramez starts to become more distant, and Aloush can't seem to get his attention anymore. Why? Because Ramez is engaged to a woman named Deema.

Frustrated, Aloush embarks on a plan to drive Deema away. But everything he tries backfires with the kind and patient Deema, who seems to understand what the kid is trying to do. Eventually, Aloush realizes she's not so bad, and Ramez even ends up with a sort of a rival for Deema's affections!

The names, food, and traditions make it clear that this isn't a Western picture book. (The author lives in Jordan, so that's where I'm assuming this story takes place.) It's nice to see some different cultures represented in children's books; I'm glad a Canadian publisher decided to publish this English translation so that more kids can enjoy this simple but sweet little picture book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chouette Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is about sibling brothers with a big age gap between them but who are close to each other and spend time doing things together.
The eldest brother suddenly starts behaving differently and doesn't have as much time for the youngest brother anymore.
This is a beautiful story for both adults and children to read with beautiful illustrations. Its great for siblings to read or share together as it does send a message to all. Such a thought provoking and tender book.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jordanian author Taghreed Najjer and Lebanese illustrator Maya Fidawi, who previously collaborated on Watermelon Madness , join forces again in this sweet story of family, change, and jealousy. The youngest member of his family, Aloush is used to plenty of attention from his elder brother Ramez, who he thinks is pretty cool. But when Ramez gets a fiancée, suddenly it feels as if there is no more time for Aloush, who reacts with resentment, trying to drive this interloper away. Fortunately, Deema is an understanding woman, and sets out to make peace with Aloush, showing him they don't have to be enemies...

Originally published in Jordan as ماذا حصل لأخي رامز ("What Happened to My Brother Ramez?"), My Brother and Me pairs a sweet, humorous story from Najjer with cute, expressive artwork from Fidawi. The central dilemma here - namely, the experience of feeling jealous and resentful, when changes come to the family circle, and new people are added - is a common one in childhood, and Najjer handles it with sensitivity. The accompanying artwork accentuates the humor of some of the episodes, and captures the changing emotional state of the characters. All in all, this was a heartwarming little family story, one I would recommend to picture-book readers looking for the same, or to those seeking children's books set in the Middle East, with an Arabic/Jordanian cultural background.

[Gladimore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aloush and his brother are tight as thieves, they do everything together. They are each other's best friends, but suddenly his brother doesn't have time to spend with him like he did before. Suddenly he has more important things to do and even sends him out of his room when he is on the phone. Finally he comes home one day with, dare I say it, A GIRL! A wonderful story of sibling love.
#Netgalley

[Sinamile · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It was okay, but this one is most definitely for a younger audience. I imagine it's a sweet, quick read for kids that'd teach them that new people in life aren't here to take away your favourite people and that getting to know the new person might help you understand and even like them. So yah.

[sweet orange books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book about growing up and seeing your sibling leave the house, and all the emotions that a young kid can feel in this transitional time. The text and the illustrations were well executed, and I really liked how heart-warming the story ends :)

Thank you NetGalley and Editions Chouette for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Read and reviewed: 2019-12-03

[Fatima AlSabea · Rating 4 out of 5]

قصة جميلة تتحدث عن صغير اسمه علوش لديه أخ أكبر منه و إسمه رامز. يحب علوش أخوه رامز فيشاركه في أحزانه و أفراحه. و ذات يوم أتى رامز بهاتفه ليشاهد عائلته خطيبته الجديدة، فبدا مشغولا في الأيام الأخيرة. و لكن علوش لم تعجبه خطيبة رامز الجديدة ( ديما ). مع مرور الأيام أعجب علوش بديما ،فهي لم تقصد أخذ رامز من علوش كما إدعى. ( ماذا حصل لأخي رامز؟ )

[Lina Aljamal · Rating 3 out of 5]

ما يميز القصة رسوماتها و نوع الورق المطبوع وطريقة العرض لها
تجربة جيدة للأطفال للتدرب على القراءة
تبحث موضوع دخول فرد جديد إلى العائلة (خطيبة رامز ) وكيفية التأقلم مع هذا الوضع بالنسبة إلى أخيه علوش الذي يحبه وكان يمضي وقتًا ممتعًا معه لتشتعل الغيرة في قلب علوش .

[Dina mohamed ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

حبيتها أوي ❤️

[AhmEd ElsayEd · Rating 4 out of 5]

ماذا حصل لأخي رامز
تتناول القصة المشاعر المتضاربة لدى الأطفال
حين يدر أن العالم لم يعد يتمركز حوله
وهنا أخرين يتشاركون ملكياته
قصة ملئية بالشجون والحنين

[Elaine Ker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très doux et subtil, je comprenais parfaitement cet enfant, triste que son grand-frère se marie et ait moins de temps pour lui. L'histoire est bien racontée, et l'épouse n'est pas vilifiée pour autant : la situation est complexe, voilà tout.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free on NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

I don't often read children's books but this one warmed my heart. It's a simple story about a boy facing change in his life and watching your siblings grow up. As someone with an older brother I love very much the story touched me. I remember when he moved out and how strange it felt to not have him in the house anymore.

Overall, I loved this book, the story was simple (in a good way) and the illustrations were lovely.

[Amit Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a illustrated story for kids.
It is about two brothers who are very close.
Thay care for each other.
Then comes fiancee of elder brother.
This creates insecurity in the little brother.
Story is cute.
Vocabulary is simple for little kids who are starting their reading habit.
Artwork is so lovely. I liked simple drawings which show events like really moving stuff. You could guess background easily, if it's raining or indoors or sunlight.
I loved artwork. It's vivid, colorful and innovative.
Very cute story and perfect gift for any new reader.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.

[Joe Jacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voici encore un joli coup de coeur pour ce livre jeunesse plein de sensibilité et d'amour.

Cet album est tout simplement merveilleux. Il relate la relation qu'ont deux frères. L'un est beaucoup plus jeune que l'autre et lorsque son grand frère commence à être un peu absent de la maison et à avoir moins de temps pour jouer avec lui, il s'inquiète. C'est une très jolie histoire sur l'amour fraternel et sur la difficulté de voir les gens que l'on aime s'éloigner de soi. Ici, tout va s'arranger et leur relation sera toujours aussi forte voire même plus et c'est vraiment ce qui fait la beauté de ce livre. Ce que j'ai aimé également ce sont les dessins à la fois simples et beaux. Ils correspondent parfaitement au texte.

Bref, je vous conseille vivement ce livre car c'est une jolie histoire avec des personnages attachants et une relation magnifique. Je l'inclus dans le projet "Et si on te donnait l'envie de lire ?" parce qu'il est parfait pour la jeunesse.

Je remercie Netgalley et les éditions Crackboom pour cette découverte.

[Clazzzer C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book which illustrates to children that family relationships can change whether we want them to or not and that those changes affect all those involved. Ramez is Aloush’s older brother. Aloush is the youngest in his family and he adores his older brother who he spends so much time with and looks up to dearly. Ramez takes Aloush to school in the morning and allows him to hang out with him and his friends in the evenings after school. All this suddenly changes however when Ramez becomes engaged to be married and Aloush can no longer hang out with his idol like he used to. The younger brother begins to act out and rebel, seeing attention by wearing dirty smelly clothes and misbehaving. This is an important book. It acts as an introduction for many experiences young children can have of change in their lives and can lead to many reflective and beneficial exercises and conversations.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Brother and Me is the story of how the relationship between two brothers changes when one meets a girl and becomes engaged. When there is a significant age difference between siblings, this type of change is bound to happen. However, this picture book explains how it may seem like everything is getting worse when in reality things are just getting better. The younger brother realizes that he is not losing a brother, he is just gaining a sister.
I think it is important to have stories like this for children to relate to and find themselves in when they go through similar situations.
The illustrations and writing is beautiful, plus the story brings in a culture aspect based on the main character's cultural background!

[Astoria (Jax) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet and to the point.

The story's about a little brother tries to deal with the changes that come when your older siblings is experiencing life at a speed that you just can't understand. I've got two nieces who are about two years apart and it's so funny to already see the divide that comes from the older one being in school and the younger one wanting to do the same but not being at that stage in life yet.

In the case of this book - the younger brother is now having to share his big brother with a girl who is new to both of their lives but means a great deal to the man in both of their lives. Again, it was short and wrapped up his acceptance of her rather quickly.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a really good story about a young boy who is very close to his older brother. When his brother gets engaged he is worried that everything will change and he is feeling pushed out and puts together a plan to get his brother back.

The story has a happy ending and it is a good book to show younger children about change and to explain what happens in these situations, you are gaining a new family member, not losing one - 4 stars from me for this one

[J.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received My Brother and Me, by Taghreed Najjar through NetGalley. It's a sweet and short, nicely illustrated story of a young boy learning that his much older brother's upcoming wedding might not be as bad as he expects. Very nice of CracBoom! Books to accept a story about a family from non-European cultural background. I wish there was a glossary and explanation of terms that might be unfamiliar to readers, to help better learn about the customs of this family.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Brother and Me by Taghreed Najjar, illustrated by Maya Fidawi was a sweet little book aimed at children, with great Illustrations throughout.
My nephew loved this book..........

Big Thank you to Netgalley, Taghreed Najjar, and Chouette Publishing, for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Anneke Alnatour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story about a young boy, whose big brother is getting engaged. Will his brother still have time for him though? Not a lot of surprises about how the story would go, but for my Arab children there was quite a lot that they recognised in the book. (HUMMUS! my son said.)

Nice story, some of the wording was a bit off for me, but didn't seem to bother the kids.

[Lina Aljamal · Rating 3 out of 5]

ما يميز القصة رسوماتها و نوع الورق المطبوع وطريقة العرض لها
تجربة جيدة للأطفال للتدرب على القراءة
تبحث موضوع دخول فرد جديد إلى العائلة (خطيبة رامز ) وكيفية التأقلم مع هذا الوضع بالنسبة إلى أخيه علوش الذي يحبه وكان يمضي وقتًا ممتعًا معه لتشتعل الغيرة في قلب علوش .

[Maria Dadouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

جمل سلسة، مختزلة وقليلة تؤدي معاني عميقة . رسومات ولا أجمل.

[S_polatoglu · Rating 5 out of 5]

ترجم الكتاب في هذه الأيام الى التركية
http://kitap.ykykultur.com.tr/kitapla...

[The Endless Unread · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good read about getting to know someone before you decide you don't like them for something that's not even their fault.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wholesome children’s book about a younger brother who feels intimidated by his older brothers new girlfriend ... adorably innocent

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could very much identify with the characters in this book as there are roughly 10 years between my children. I love the sweetness and the humour throughout the story.