10/04/2021
The latest volume in the publisher’s “international storied cookbooks” series draws on the rich storytelling traditions of Arab peoples, who, a note specifies, “live in diverse communities with long histories and many different beliefs and customs.” Here, 14 tales capped with pithy morals are paired with complementary recipes, most of which require adult help. In “Juicy Apricots,” a girl sneaks into a Marrakesh garden, overeats its fruit, and has to be helped down by the gardener—a plot summed up as “the wit of the mischievous should be a warning to the wise.” Recipes for mehallabeyat qamaruddin (apricot pudding) and qamaruddin (apricot sheets) follow. Factoid boxes share additional information: “In Egypt, apricot kernels are ground and mixed with coriander seeds and salt to make a traditional snack called dokka .” Kazemi’s largely unlined, stylized illustrations employ a folkloric sensibility to render ingredients as well as human characters of various skin tones. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)
A delicious series of original stories that shares Arabic culture with young readers as each story not only takes them on a mouth-watering journey but includes a traditional recipe.
This book serves as a gesture of hospitality to those who want to begin to develop an appreciation of Arab culture. Read the stories and make the meals, but be sure to share both with your family or friends, or most importantly of all, with strangers. Highly Recommended.
CM: Canadian Review of Materials
From a miser in Egypt who spills his lentil soup and loses his fortune while dreaming of great riches to a young woman in Algeria who cleverly catches the thief who stole her wheat for couscous, this volume in the Fairy Tale Feasts series uses short Arabic folktales and fairy tales to present traditional foods from the Middle East and North Africa. Each story is followed by one or two related recipes with an explanatory note about the dish’s popularity in Arabic culture and sidebars that offer more information about the featured food, such as the Arabic origin of the English word apricot and the fruit’s special use as a drink during the season of Eid. For readers unfamiliar with the Arab world, a useful introduction describes where Arab people live, their shared Arabic language, the golden age of Arab cookbooks, and the influence of Arab cuisine on other parts of the world (e.g., the Spanish dish paella has Arabic roots). Fitting illustrations in a folk-art style add more flavor to this savory, multipurpose collection.
A must-read book ... Children’s books are known for a lot of things, but teaching kids how to cook is not one of them. And yet, after reading Karim Alrawi’s book, Arab Fairy Tale Feasts, one wonders, why not? Written by Alrawi in simple, approachable language and with obvious affection and tenderness for his culture, this book includes folk tales that immerse the reader and urge them to consider the Arab perspective. Each story is about food, feasting, and Arab culinary traditions, and concludes with a recipe for a traditional favorite dish, such as mamoul (date-filled cookies), shish taouk (chicken kebab), manakish zaatar (zaatar flatbread), and more. Arab Fairy Tale Feasts is part of a series of children’s books that celebrates the cuisines of different cultures with kid-friendly recipes and heartwarming anecdotes. Grades 4-7.
Vancouver Writers Festival
A fun book for family sharing.”
This reading-and-feasting anthology, a combination of stories and recipes, makes a unique addition to the literary landscape for both children and their adults ... This book is well-pitched at young readers, with short, tightly plotted stories and related fun facts; the sort of book a child can read and re-read ... The stories are fun and irreverent, with the tricksters, widows, and young children generally winning out over the stiff, the stodgy, and the greedy ... the stories are updated to feel both timeless and contemporary. They take their young readers on a quick tour of different cities and landscapes, full of bright children, silly adults, and feasts fit for a hungry young reader. As well as being an excellent gift and keepsake, the book is also a very handy kitchen resource. In the end, it’s hard to know whether this collection should be kept in the kitchen or on a child’s bedroom bookshelf.
More than just a storybook, more than just a cookbook, this … series promises to bring people together to share food and stories, embodying the spirit of generosity of the tales within.
This reading-and-feasting anthology, a combination of stories and recipes, makes a unique addition to the literary landscape for both children and their adults … This book is well-pitched at young readers, with short, tightly plotted stories and related fun facts; the sort of book a child can read and re-read … The stories are fun and irreverent, with the tricksters, widows, and young children generally winning out over the stiff, the stodgy, and the greedy … the stories are updated to feel both timeless and contemporary. They take their young readers on a quick tour of different cities and landscapes, full of bright children, silly adults, and feasts fit for a hungry young reader. As well as being an excellent gift and keepsake, the book is also a very handy kitchen resource. In the end, it’s hard to know whether this collection should be kept in the kitchen or on a child’s bedroom bookshelf.”
Middle East Eye Marcia Lynx Qualey
10/01/2021
K-Gr 3— Following Fairy Tale Feasts and Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts , the third entry in the "Literary Cookbook" series contains 14 delightfully entertaining original tales. The anecdotes are preceded by an introduction, "The Meal and the Conversation," which defines Arabs as "people who mainly live in North Africa and the Middle East" and gives a brief history of cookbooks in that region. An Arab axiom, "Nothing heals the body like a good meal, and nothing soothes the soul like a good story," is a fitting segue to the text. Each short fable is accompanied by one or more related recipes. For example, "A Pot of Coins," about a miserly man who begs for food and money while hoarding his cash, is followed by two recipes: Shorbit Adas (simple lentil soup) and Manakish Zaatar (Zaatar flatbread). The book contains cautionary tales, a pourquoi story, and narratives in which individuals get their much-deserved comeuppance. All the tales, which are accompanied by numerous colorful illustrations, end with a moral. Boxes are scattered throughout the book and define Arab words, impart useful nuggets of information about the Arab world, or contain hints on preparing the recipes. VERDICT These tales beg to be read and discussed; the many and varied recipes will be fun for classroom use or for families to share.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek P.L., WI
2021-12-16
In Marrakesh, Morocco, a young girl gets caught stealing apricots from a garden and wittily explains her way out of the situation. In Cairo, Egypt, a mean miser loses his hoard of money in a swift blow of poetic justice. A pourquoi story set near the Sahara Desert explains why chickens and ostriches cannot fly. This is just a sampling of the 14 original morality tales (not fairy tales, as the book’s title misleadingly promises) gathered here. The structure of the fables—a moral is stated at the end of each one—will feel familiar to both Arab and non-Arab readers. Each story incorporates alimentary motifs and themes and is followed by a complementary recipe from the Arab world; budding cooks will feel inspired to try making mehallabeyat qamaruddin, shish taouk, shorbit adas, and more. English translations of the names of the dishes are provided. The recipes—most of which require easily obtainable ingredients—are uncomplicated, with notes on substitutions and optional add-ins. With the inclusion of backmatter notes covering Arabic literary traditions, origins of the Arabic words used throughout the book, and bits of culinary history, there is much to be learned, even for readers familiar with Arab culture. Both stories and recipes are enhanced with folk art–style illustrations that add a traditional feel, but the dishes aren’t always portrayed accurately in the artwork.
An engaging literary cookbook that is a feast for the eyes, the heart, and the palate. (Fables/cookbook. 8-adult)
