“A Magical Sleep” by Mahsa Hedayati has been selected for The White Ravens list 2022.
The “White Ravens” catalogue, is the most important annual publication of the International Youth Library. This year, the “White Ravens” contains a selection of 200 notable children’s and young adult books from 53 countries published in 37 languages.
Like any other human activity, sleeping may involve different customs in different cultures. Thus, it might be interesting for children living in Western and Northern countries to learn about the Middle to the Fareast where people traditionally used to sleep on mattresses on the floor. Although in Iran this tradition has gradually faded, one still can find people keeping their mattresses, pillows, and sheets packed in a corner during the day.
Illustrator Mahsa Hedayati has made this memorable custom the basis of her wordless book in which children play with bedding material during the day. This turns into a fantastic game full of joy, imagination, color, and adventure – a magical world in which everything is possible: One moment, the children find themselves in a beautiful garden, the next moment they dive into a leaf full of water, so that forest animals have to come to their aid, until, in the end, they fall asleep again. These illustrations are interesting to children all over the world and can lead to both, developing their imagination and their familiarization with Persian culture and traditions.
Previously, these titles from TUTI Books had been selected for The White Ravens list: “Cricket, Why Do You Sing?”, “The Boxer”, “Ace”, “What a Brilliant Idea”, and “The Orange Girl”.
