Arabic Folktales for Children

Timeless stories to share in English and Arabic, engagingly retold for young readers.

This exciting collection of eight folktales presented in parallel English and Arabic text brings together favorites from a storytelling tradition rich in humor, warmth, and gentle life lessons. Drawing on oral and written sources from across the Arabic-speaking world, award-winning author Hadil Ghoneim has crafted a fun and unique anthology for heritage language learners as well as anyone seeking to introduce young readers to diverse cultures. The stories include:

Illustrator Ayah Khamis brings the tales to life with expressive characters, glowing color combinations, and detailed depictions of buildings and other local details. The book is a valuable addition to the library of any family or teacher who wants to build cultural connections through the magic of stories.

Hadil Ghoneim writes in Arabic and English. She has written many fiction and nonfiction books for children and young adults. Her book The Nights of Shaharzizi won the Etisalat Book of the Year award for Arabic Children's Literature, and Sisters Hana and Shefa was a finalist for best picture book for the same award. Her nonfiction essays for adult readers have appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Arab Lit Quarterly, and other publications. When not writing (or playing tennis), Hadil is engaged in community projects revolving around culture, dialogue and storytelling. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ayah Khamis has illustrated many children's and young adult books. A graduate of Helwan University's Faculty of Fine Arts, she published her first book, I love Because I Am a Human Being, at age 21 in Arabic, English and French. Her work has been recognized by the Etisalat Award for Children's Literature, the Children's Book Publishers Forum, and the Arab Institute in Paris. She collaborated previously with Hadil Ghoneim on the book Those Are Your Lenses, Alba!

Marcia Lynx Qualey is a writer, editor, translator, and founding editor of ArabLit and ArabLit Quarterly. Her work to promote Arabic literature in translation, including books for children and young adults, has been recognized by a Literary Translation Initiative Award from the London Book Fair and the Ottaway Award for the Promotion of International Literature from Words Without Borders. She is a co-founder of the WorldKidLit initiative, which works to raise the profile of global literature for young people.