The Three Princes of Serendip: New Tellings of Old Tales for Everyone

by Rodaan Al Galidi, Geertje Aalders (Illustrator)

This feast of Middle Eastern folklore from an award-winning Iraqi storyteller is paired with vibrant cut-paper art.

The twenty fables and folktales in this illustrated storybook have taken a long journey. Many have roots that stretch across Europe, Asia, and Africa, but when award-winning writer and gatherer of tales Rodaan Al Galidi learned them in his homeland of Iraq, it was as Arabic folktales and as part of the Arabic storytelling tradition. When he migrated to the Netherlands, he shaped twenty of those tales into his debut book for children, which was translated to English by Laura Watkinson.

Filled with wisdom about love and acceptance, and warnings against folly, these elegantly translated stories--many unknown in the United States--of donkeys and roosters, kings, sheikhs, and paupers are exquisitely illustrated by cut-paper artist Geertje Aalders. Beautifully packaged, The Three Princes of Serendip is a rich and varied introduction to the world of Middle Eastern folklore.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Childrens, Classics, Picture Books, Juvenile, Humor

136 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2021

About the author

Al Galidi (eigenlijk Rodhan Al Khalidi) is een schrijver van Irakese afkomst. Hij is geboren in 1971, maar zijn precieze geboortedatum is onbekend, omdat zulke gegevens niet geregistreerd worden en verjaardagen niet gevierd worden in zijn streek van herkomst.

Al Galidi studeerde in Irak af als bouwkundig ingenieur. Na zijn studie vluchtte hij uit Irak om de dienstplicht te ontwijken; zes jaar later, in 1998, kwam hij in Nederland terecht, waar hij asiel aanvroeg. Het asiel werd hem geweigerd en hij is uitgeprocedeerd. Lessen Nederlands mocht hij bijgevolg niet bijwonen. Daarom leerde Al Galidi zich de Nederlandse taal en begon te schrijven. In Vlaanderen wordt hij als schrijver erkend en ontvangt hij een werkbeurs. In 2007 kon Al Galidi genieten van het generaal pardon in Nederland. In 2011 zakte hij voor zijn inburgeringscursus waardoor de IND het recht heeft om zijn verblijfsvergunning te ontnemen.

Onder de naam Rodaan Al Galidi zet hij zijn schrijverschap voort.

ENGLISH

Al Galidi (actually Rodhan Al Khalidi) is a writer of Iraqi origin. He was born in 1971, but his exact date of birth is unknown, because such data is not registered and birthdays are not celebrated in his region of origin.

Al Galidi graduated in Iraq as an architectural engineer. After his studies he fled from Iraq to avoid conscription; six years later, in 1998, he ended up in the Netherlands, where he applied for asylum. The asylum was refused. Therefor he was not allowed to attend Dutch lessons. That is why Al Galidi learned himself the Dutch language and started to write. He is recognized as a writer in Flanders and receives a scholarship. In 2007, Al Galidi was able to enjoy the general pardon in the Netherlands. In 2011 he failed his integration course, which gave the IND the right to withdraw his residence permit.

He continues his writing under the name Rodaan Al Galidi.

(bron: wikipedia.nl)

Rodaan Al Galidi is an award-winning author of poetry and novels for adults. The Three Princes of Serendip is his first book for children. He lives in the Netherlands.

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arabic Folktales The Three Princes of Serendip and other stories is truly a beautiful hardback book that I have ever seen, with well written short stories. Every child will have a favourite short story of their own.
There are 20 fabulous short stories in the hardback Arabic folktales
My first favourite story is , The Man Who Was Never Satisfied, which is about a king who was tied of everyone always bowing to him. He dressed in old clothes and visited a man who has everything but still not satisfied. The man fed the king in old clothes believing he was a poor man. The king returned the next day, with a strange request.
My second favourite story is
The Poor Woodcutter.
There was once, a long time ago, a woodcutter who was called Abdullah, who wanted to find good fortune. Every day he went out with his axe and his donkey chopping wood. He would shout ‘Hey, good fortune! Are you there? I loved the ending of this short story. I would like to thank Walker Books for sending me this beautiful book to read and review.
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com

[Chetan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely enjoyable! Coming from a person who spent his first few years of life on the island of Serendip, present-day Sri Lanka. This book had me at the title. The retellings of traditional stories that are included in this book have been given a contemporary and modern twist, making them appropriate for children of any age or culture.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband recently went on a business trip and came back with this book for our kids. It's a collection of Iraqi tales with absolutely beautiful illustrations.

In the introduction, the author explains how if you take wooden clogs or Dutch cheese to Iraq, those items would be recognized as Dutch, but if you take a Dutch story to Iraq, it would change along the way and become Iraqi in its retelling. I like that explanation.

I love tales from other cultures and am happy to add this book to my shelf.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting stories that I had never heard/read before, but what really made it stand out were the cut paper illustrations. I just wanted to keep looking at them. So intricate and beautiful.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three Princes of Serendip is a collection of stories the author heard as a child in Iraq. Every culture has folk tales that have been passed down to teach each new generation about their community's customs, values, and beliefs. But as the author of The Three Princes of Serendip points out, folk tales cross borders and take on elements from the new community they enter. So, although the author heard them in Iraq, some of the stories had their origins in other countries. The author states in the book's introduction, "Stories belong to everyone and are for everyone." It is in tales that we find the commonalities among humankind.

There are stories for readers of varied interests in this collection. Animal lovers will enjoy stories featuring a lion, wolf, fox, rooster, bull, donkey, partridge, turtle, scorpion, and even an ant and a cockroach. Settings include forests, cities, deserts, oases, islands, and mountains. The parade of characters includes princes, woodcutters, farmers, sheiks, queens, servants, wealthy, poor, old, young, wise, and unwise.

The tales are short but chock full of vivid characters and engaging stories, where humor sometimes plays a role, and a moral lesson is often taught. To illustrate the wide range of these tales, here are a few storylines the reader will encounter. First, a queen and the young girl who rose to the rank of a lady in waiting are at odds over the disappearance of a grand necklace, leading to the young girl realizing that riches do not equal happiness. Second, there is a dispute between an ant and a cockroach about whether hard work and preparation are more important than doing something that makes you happy. Next, an arrogant rooster learns he is not as indispensable as he thinks. Finally, a father, a son, and their donkey learn there are many opinions out in the world, but what matters most is what makes you happy.

Using only cut pieces of paper, the illustrator weaves the stories into a rich tapestry of exquisite detail. The reader is delightfully drawn into the different worlds of each tale. The images are realistic in depiction, but the inventive use of colorful paper gives them a whimsical, fanciful feel.

The collection of stories and illustrations in The Three Princes of Serendip offers a delightful package and is highly recommended to add diversity to any collection.

I received a physical copy of The Three Princes of Serendip: New Tellings of Old Tales for Everyone by Rodaan Al Galidi, translated by Laura Watkinson, and illustrated by Geertje Aalders from Candlewick Press.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Candlewick Press
for this copy.
I've read one of these stories every evening and they are a delight. Rodaan Al Galidi tells the stories that he has gathered from all over the world. Although the inside is not in color, I can see how beautiful they're going to be illustrated by Geertje Aalders by the cover. Laura Watkinson translated. As Galidi writes in his intro, "stories are the best migrants and the finest travelers". You may read (or hear) a story in Iraq, with specific cultural names, but when it travels to The Netherlands, names, perhaps even the kind of animal changes. Several are lessons in perceptions. One about light and dark, and tells about a man checking on his bull late one night, but a lion has taken its place. He enters, "found the head, touched the hairy neck, the strong legs, and the tail, and felt completely reassured: his bull was fine." Another speaks of other perceptions when a man, his son, and a donkey traveled. The man walked, the son rode, and people thought it was disgraceful that the son was not more caring for his father. I think you can imagine where that is going. People see things differently all.the.time. Wouldn't this be fun to read a story or two a day with a class? It's terrific!
This was first published by Gottmer Publishing Group (Netherlands) 2017. The first US edition is 2021.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this advanced copy!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complemented by striking, colorful cut-paper artwork introducing each story and then also becoming a part of the stories this collection of 20 folktales and fables from Iraq is certainly worth a second glance. The images are intriguing and intricate, lending an almost timeless feel to the entire book and certainly to these stories that have been retold by the author, who points out that many of them will be familiar to readers with just a few tweaks having been made, while others will not and may appear fresh and new. Still, he is keenly aware of the impact culture and one's homeland have on the stories, their characters, and their messages. Inside the book readers will find stories about the meaning of true friendship, the dangers of trying to change oneself for others, what happens to greedy individuals, and learn how it's possible to eat soup with a spoon that is three feet long. They'll also meet a too-proud rooster, a fox that outwits a lion, and a man who tries to wring all the joy out of worship. Individuals familiar with folktales will recognize the more familiar "The Ant and the Grasshopper" in this book's "The Ant and the Cockroach" with the two creatures' very different approaches to life but with both approaches having some merit. All in all, reading these tales left me feeling satisfied with the offerings while longing for even more. In this author's hands, the tales feel fresh, new, and relevant.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received The Three Princes of Serendip by Al Galidi for Multicultural Children's Book Day 2022. This collection of Iraqi folk tales and fables is absolutely beautiful. These retellings are based on the stories the author heard as a child. I particularly liked the author's note at the beginning that explained how stories travel from place to place, changing and becoming a part of new cultures in the process. That piqued my interest in reading the stories to see if I recognized any from my own childhood, which I did. Of course, the settings and characters were different, but the similarities showed how people also have so many similarities across cultures.

This was a perfect book to be a part of a multicultural children's book list. In addition to the accessible and enjoyable writing, the cut-paper art by Geertje Aalders is absolutely stunning.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves folktales, fables, stories about different cultures, beautiful artwork. There is opportunity for readers to enhance their experience with this book by choosing a story to retell in their own way. Perhaps they could even try using their own cut-paper art to illustrate it.

#ReadYourWorld

[Jill Rey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up, and lived, in North America my whole life it has been important for me to expose my child to cultures and stories outside of our own. So, when I saw this book of children’s tales from the Middle East and around the world it was the perfect catalyst to begin planting the seeds of diversity, breadth of culture, and other views of life outside of our own.

The lessons, like those we read about in North American children’s tales, are important and just as easy to understand, but the context and scenery in which they occur open our minds to beyond one’s own everyday environment. For instance, we have no oceans or deserts nearby, we don’t know any sheiks, and we certainly don’t have scorpions or donkeys lingering around. Experiencing these elements and phenomena within our bedtime stories exposes us to a world outside our four walls. The vivid illustrations and colorful explanations combine for a beautiful foray into old tales with new twists, characters, and settings.

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided; all opinions are my own.

[Laila - Stories Steeped in Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5
Thank you Candlewick for providing a physical copy through Youth Services Book Review.

What did you like about the book?
Iraqi author and storyteller Rodaan Al Galidi presents twenty folktales from his childhood. Told in delightful prose, each story gives simple anecdotes of life, teaching lessons on humility, self-acceptance, and happiness. Middle Eastern and Iraqi charm holds the collection together with humor, imagery, religious undertones, and cultural history. The book also includes beautiful paper-cut illustrations by Geertje Aalders, adding uniqueness and colorful vibrancy to the reading experience. Overall, it was a pleasant folklore collection.

Anything you didn’t like about it? Nope!

To whom would you recommend this book?
Anyone who likes light-hearted folktales from around the world, or kids specifically looking for Middle Eastern storytelling.

Who should buy this book? Public libraries and elementary schools

Where would you shelve it ? Folklore and fairy tales

Date of review: March 16th, 2022

[Jacob Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the literary world needs more books like this! How often do fables and folktales collect dust on the shelves, waiting to be revivified? Surely oral traditions will not make a sweeping comeback, but books like this will! Here are the reasons why.

Galidi's "new telling of old tales" he heard as a child in Iraq are kept laconic and digestible -the perfect length for fireside storytelling. Although the origin of these stories are not entirely Iraqi, Galidi professes that this is the nature of tales anyway, "because stories do not believe in borders or countries... identity or culture. Stories belong to everyone and are for everyone." Indeed, what really steals the reader is the immaculate papercutting of a Geertje Aalders! You will be asking yourself the entire time, how did she craft such detail, precision, vibrancy, and depth. A must have for reimagining your folktale section of the library!

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right after reading Al Galidi's masterful storyteller's collection of fables and folktales from Iraq and Persia, traveler's tales that are full of wisdom and good humor and lovely scenes of Islamic culture, I decided to read it again soon as an ebook so that I could highlight passages to enjoy on their own. Such is the beauty of Laura Watkinson's English translation from the Dutch. The vibrant cut-paper illustrations by Geertje Aalders are equally beautiful, so intricate and detailed that the insects and flowers that introduce every fable are almost touchable, while the scenes of marketplaces and riverbeds and country roads and lions hidden in a black night are surprising and arresting, each page a place to linger. A truly marvellous reading experience for reading aloud and all ages. Every library needs a copy to enliven and enrich fading folktale collections with something sunny, engaging, and meditative all at once.

[Israa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Edelweiss for an advanced copy. I loved this children's book of international fables. Mostly, the moral of the story was obvious, while sometimes, I couldn't figure out the point. The illustrations are lovely, and the majority of the stories were new to me. While I am not sure about Galidi's religious standing, I did not like one part where God took the form of the man, since Sunni Muslims wouldn't believe in that. Otherwise, I appreciate that the book is clean (except for using the word "idiot," and I think the translator could have used a more child-friendly word). I will consider purchasing this for our school library.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best stories are stories that have been told and retold and retold for years and years and years. They simply can't help but be the best, after the boring parts have been left out and the exciting parts emphasized. The best stories have great characters and dramatic action and yet they also tell us something important about life.

That's what this book is. The Three Princes of Serendip is a collection of stories the author, Rodaan Al Galidi, put together based on the best stories he heard in his childhood while growing up in Iraq.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three Princes of Serendip: New Tellings of Old Tales for Everyone. Rodaan Al Galidi. Trans. by Laura Watkinson. Illus. by Geertje Aalders. (2021). Candlewick.
In “A Note from the Gatherer of Tales,” Iraqi native Rodaan Al Galidi (b. 1971), who sought asylum in the Netherlands in 1998, states “stories are the best migrants and the finest travelers.” This collection of twenty retold tales from his childhood in Iraq, illustrated with Geertje Aalder’s intricate cut-paper collage artwork, supports this assertion beautifully. (Gr 3 Up).

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of folktales the author brought with him from Iraq, some widely known in many storytelling traditions. The illustrated package is beautiful, the storytelling voice slightly formal. I think the best compliment I can give is that my two boys, ages 6 and 8, who normally like their stories full of action and adventure and silliness, really loved this book. And I certainly did as well.

[Helen S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big time fan of short stories for sure. That being said, I sort of enjoyed the pictures more than the way the stories read. I also used two stories to ask a class of upper elementary students what they thought of them. They basically liked the longer ones which to me indicates they read quite well as a read aloud. Maybe if I understood Iraqi culture, I would have gotten more into these stories more?

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of these stories will be over the head of the four-year-old, though I will try three: The woman with the talking waterjugs, the long spoons for people who have love in their hearts, and the titular story about the three clever princes who might become princesses in my telling. The illustrations are cunningly cut from amazing colors of paper that do justice to Islamic mosaic and ceramicware.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a joy to read! Some of the stories were recognizable but in a different setting. Most of the stories were new to me and offered a beautiful window into the stories of Iraq. The art work is gorgeous. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a good tale, fairy tales, or want to get to know a culture from its stories.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful stories

This folk tale collection is fun to read. Many of them I have read in other sources such as Grimm and Mother Goose like the man who tries to flee death only to end up where death waited for him. However, the tone and style are very engaging. This would be great for an elementary class or a family with young children. Still, this old man loved this collection.

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a middle eastern collection of fables. They were great. I had even heard of some of them before. Like many great fables, these had a lot of wisdom in them. I highly recommend the read.

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Jim Veach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure what is the age a child could understand these stories.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely cut-paper pictures accompany the almost-familiar tales. My favorite was The Magic Jugs.

[Sarah Swarbrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book was spectacular - from the stories to the absolutely breathtaking art.

[Deb Richmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the artwork! The stories are delightfully easy to read but interesting, too.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice collection of retold old tales. The artwork is stunning.