The Knight, the Princess, and the Magic Rock: A Classic Persian Tale

I loved some of the departures from the original story. Some of the violence (Bijan killing the wild boars and keeping their jaws as trophies) was omitted in exchange for him running them off. What I didn't like the superfluous addition of religion. Rostam was strong so he moved the mighty boulder. He was the champion. Religion played no role in the original so why did he need prayer to move the boulder. That's like saying Lois Lane was falling off of a building so Superman prayed and she landed in his arms. When he would just fly and catch her. because that's who he is. Superman a superhero who can fly. Moving boulders is who Rostam is, a superhero, champion of Iran who moves heavy boulders that no one else can, because strength is a big part of his legend.

This book has lovely illustrations and makes a good read-aloud for classrooms. A good addition to anyone collection legends from other countries.

LO loves books and often brings this one to be read.

Excellent cultural tale.

The timeless essence of a folk tale that has been passed down through the centuries carries with it a powerful piece of history. This cultural tale is a window to the past. The bright and colorful illustrations bring this story alive. Though the tale may not meet what we consider modern standards in plot development, its strength is its ties to the past and Persian culture. From an educator's viewpoint, I really appreciate how Azizi explains the symbolism in her summation at the end of the book which makes for a great teaching tool. Because of the vast use of symbols throughout this tale, it is especially useful to teachers who want compare symbolism in various cultural folk tales.

This is the star-crossed love story of Bijan, a brave knight from Persia and Manijeh, princess of Persia's enemy. It is the story of how Manijeh saved Bijan from certain death, the kingdoms made peace and the lovers were able to spend the rest of their lives together, all because of a magic rock. I thought this was an interesting story, being that it was one that was entirely new to me. I have a major obsession with fairy tales and folklore, especially those from other countries (the U.S. is sort of new compared to the rest of the world!). I loved the illustrations and thought that they were definitely the focal point of the book. They had me wishing that I owned a Kindle Fire so I could see them in color. A major complaint about the story is that the author felt the need to re-tell it as a Grandpa telling it to his grandkids. Not necessary at all. The story would have stood on its own two feet well enough without that intro clogging up the beginning. Also, the style of telling was so factual that I felt a lot of the potential magic and beauty was lost. Yes, it's a kid's book and needs to be simple - that doesn't mean it can't be beautiful in its simplicity, rather than textbook. Worth reading for someone who is teaching or taking a class in folklore/myth/fairy tales or for an elementary school teacher. Also could be enjoyed by anyone who likes this sort of story and has never heard the tale before.VERDICT: 3/5 Stars*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published July 16th, 2012.*

Most of the fairy tales we know today come from other languages, from other cultures, and have been reinterpreted one or more times. In this tradition, Sara Azizi now give us a Persian fairy tale.This tale is actually from the classic Persian work Shahnameh, written a thousand years ago by the poet Ferdowsi. I have a translation of this work sitting in my "to read" pile; after reading this fairy tale, maybe I should move it up the stack.This is a well illustrated and brief book, suitable to read to a small child. A knight is sent by a king to rid a province of menacing boars, which he does. On his way home he meets and falls in love with a girl; alas, she is the daughter of an enemy, and he is trapped. She finds a way to keep him alive. Meanwhile, the knight's king worries that he has not returned, and uses magic to learn his fate. The king then sends his greatest hero to save the knight. He saves both the knight and the girl, and they achieve "happily ever after".Much can be read into the story, and the author includes an afternote on that. But for a child the story can be enjoyed as just a story. And its quality as a story is reason enough to love it.The publisher provided me a copy for review.

Children and adults will love this book! It is a rare pleasure to pick up a book in English on Persian themes, and even more rare for the book to be so beautifully illustrated and presented. The story itself is one of the many tales from the Book of Kings--the tale of two lovers, Bijan and Manijeh, and Bijan's rescue by the famous knight Rostam. Here it is re-told for children in a simple, straightforward manner which should appeal to young ones and old ones alike. The illustrations are bright, cheery, and just the right balance of traditional miniature style, ancient Persian motifs, and all combined with elements of the Western aesthetic. The result is harmonious and vibrant. For adults that want to know more about the story, beyond its classic romantic outlines, the author has included helpful notes on the history of the Book of Kings, as well as a possible spiritual interpretation of the text. All in all, a highly successful and gorgeous work, which I hope will be followed by more stories in a similar vein.