Amir and the Jinn Princess


Book Description

In this mesmerizing novel, a wealthy young boy searching for his mother teams up with a fiery jinn princess all while battling in a tournament of heirs—and trying to keep his life from changing forever. Twelve-year-old Amir is one of the heirs to the Rafiq Bricks Company, a wealthy brick kiln business in Pakistan—except he wants none of it. Seeing straight through the jeweled smiles and transactional conversations, Amir would rather spend time in the courtyard garden, where he can almost feel his missing mother’s presence again. Amir is devastated when his baba announces plans to remarry by the end of the summer, dropping all searches to find Amir’s mother. It’s all a business move, just like everything else in his life. His mother was the only one who allowed him to feel normal, but the last anyone’s seen of her was a year ago. But Amir isn’t ready to give up yet—determined to find his mother before his life changes forever, Amir teams up with a high-spirited, wide-eyed, shape-shifting jinn princess named Shamsa. His exact opposite. The two make a deal—Shamsa will help Amir navigate the twisty and mysterious realm of jinn, and in exchange Amir must use his wits to help Shamsa win a tournament of heirs and put her on the throne. Amir and Shamsa must contend with silver-tongued tricksters and magical rivals, and a truth far more devastating than Amir ever expected.…




Nura and the Immortal Palace


Book Description

Aru Shah and the End of Time meets Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away in this mesmerizing portal fantasy that takes readers into the little-known world of Jinn. Nura longs for the simple pleasure of many things—to wear a beautiful red dupatta or to bite into a sweet gulab. But with her mom hard at work in a run-down sweatshop and three younger siblings to feed, Nura must spend her days earning money by mica mining. But it’s not just the extra rupees in her pocket Nura is after. Local rumor says there’s buried treasure in the mine, and Nura knows that finding it could change the course of her family’s life forever. Her plan backfires when the mines collapse and four kids, including her best friend, Faisal, are claimed dead. Nura refuses to believe it and shovels her way through the dirt hoping to find him. Instead, she finds herself at the entrance to a strange world of purple skies and pink seas—a portal to the opulent realm of jinn, inhabited by the trickster creatures from her mother’s cautionary tales. Yet they aren’t nearly as treacherous as her mother made them out to be, because Nura is invited to a luxury jinn hotel, where she’s given everything she could ever imagine and more. But there’s a dark truth lurking beneath all that glitter and gold, and when Nura crosses the owner’s son and is banished to the working quarters, she realizes she isn’t the only human who’s ended up in the hotel’s clutches. Faisal and the other missing children are there, too, and if Nura can’t find a way to help them all escape, they’ll be bound to work for the hotel forever. Set in a rural industrial town in Pakistan and full of hope, heart, and humor, Nura and the Immortal Palace is inspired by M.T. Khan’s own Pakistani Muslim heritage.




Sasak and Javanese Literature of Lombok


Book Description

The earliest written literature of the Sasak people of Lombok (Indonesia) is in Javanese, and includes romantic and religious poetry, as well as original works such as local histories. From the nineteenth century onwards, poems have been composed in Sasak with greater local reference. The Sasak also have a strong tradition of oral literature, including lyric verse and prose folk tales, many of which have been recorded. All these are considered in the present work, based on study of materials in Leiden, Java, Bali and Lombok, followed by fieldwork in Lombok in 1991.




Where Snow Angels Go


Book Description

On the precipice of a serious illness, Sylvie wakes up to find a snow angel who tells her he will protect her, and when she finally recovers, she purposefully puts herself in precarious situations to try and meet him again.




Princesses on the Run


Book Description

Even the prettiest dresses, latest toys, and friendliest elephant can't cure Princess Antonia's boredom. And when she becomes so bored, she decides to run away! Luckily, with friends like Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, a big adventure is sure to follow! 2014 Amelia Bloomer Project Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18




Under the Absolute Amir


Book Description

Under the Absolute Amir is an account of life and work in Kabul by Frank A. Martin, who for eight years was engineer-in-chief to Amir ʻAbd al-Rahman Khan (reigned 1880-1901), ruler of Afghanistan, and later to his son and successor, Habibullah (reigned 1901-19). The book provides a first-hand overview of Afghanistan, written from a European perspective, and is particularly interesting on subjects such as roads, trade, and economic development, with which the author was directly involved. It includes chapters on travel, the city of Kabul, manners and customs, the life of Europeans in Afghanistan, soldiers and arms, geological conditions in the country, religion, and the political situation. As indicated by the title, Martin is especially struck by absolute monarchy as the Afghan system of government. He opines that "fortunately there are few parts of the earth where such a form of government exists, for it is not one which is likely to produce the greatest good for the greatest number." Chapters devoted to the character and policies of Amir ʻAbd al-Rahman Khan, prisons and prisoners, and tortures and methods of execution underscore the despotic character of the state. Martin also stresses, however, the interest of both ʻAbd al-Rahman Khan and his son in the modernization and development of the country and the keen interest that both took in trade, commerce, and mechanical tools of all kinds. The chapter "Trades and Commerce" draws on Martin's involvement in managing the government workshops, which at this time constituted the main industrial base of the country. The chapter on the political situation contains accounts of Martin's conversations with ʻAbd al-Rahman Khan, including one in which the Afghan ruler expresses his interest in obtaining a strip of territory in Baluchistan that would provide direct access to the sea. The book is illustrated with photographs and drawings by the author.




Medieval Iberian Crusade Fiction and the Mediterranean World


Book Description

Reading crusader fiction against the backdrop of Mediterranean history, this book explains how Iberian authors reimagined the idea of crusade through the lens of Iberian geopolitics and social history. The crusades transformed Mediterranean history and inaugurated complex engagements between Western Europe, the Balkans, North Africa, and the Middle East in ways that endure to this day. Narratives of crusades powerfully shaped European thinking about the East and continue to influence the representation of interactions between Christian and Muslim states in the region. The crusade, a French idea that gave rise to Iberian, North African, and Levantine campaigns, was very much a Mediterranean phenomenon. French and English authors wrote itineraries in the Holy Land, chronicles of the crusades, and fanciful accounts of Christian knights who championed the Latin Church in the East. This study aims to explore the ways in which Iberian authors imagined their role in the culture of crusade, both as participants and interpreters of narrative traditions of the crusading world from north of the Pyrenees.




The Jinni Key


Book Description

She holds the key to his heart, and he wants it back. When Arie reveals her Gift, she thinks the worst is over. But she couldn't be more wrong. The only one who can save her now is a mermaid named Rena. Rena is the youngest daughter of the Sea King, and she's dreamed of the surface for years. But her first visit on her 16th birthday isn't what she expects. She watches a Jinni fall from the sky—and chooses to save him, despite her mother's warnings that all Jinn are evil. Once she meets Gideon, she can't get him out of her mind. And maybe, with a little help from Arie and some magic of her own, she doesn't have to... The Jinni Key is a loose "Little Mermaid" retelling. Set in a world that humans share with mermaids, dragons, and the elusive Jinn, this is not the fairytale you remember… If you enjoy fantasy worlds, magical races, and surprising spins on classic fairy tales, then you'll love this enchanting retelling of The Little Mermaid. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: "There was very little that I predicted, when there was a moment of loss I truly felt it, and I loved the unique spins she placed on the well-known THE LITTLE MERMAID tale." Rachael Martin (Goodreads Reviewer) "I went into this story super excited to find out more about Rena and Arie, and I was left unable to wait for the next book! I seriously read this book in one sitting (which left everything aching, but so worth it!). I absolutely loved The Stolen Kingdom, and book two did not disappoint. The Jinni Key's world-building was actually one of my favorites, so complex and detailed and very fun." Sarah Sutton (Goodreads Reviewer) "I couldn't even put the book down because I had to know what happened... These are the kind of retellings that I love because while the base story is weaved in there lightly the story doesn't rely on The Little Mermaid. It goes so far past that and you are invested in everything that is happening…" Katelyn Spedden (Goodreads Reviewer) "There is so much action going on in this book and as the story moved on, the stakes kept getting higher and higher - I couldn't put it down (read it in a few hours) and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!" Elira Barnes (Goodreads Reviewer) "This was an amazing second book! All of Bethany's hard work paid off ten fold! I loved how all the relationships developed and all the animal moments. I especially love Rena and her quirky personality. She makes an amazing POV character." Andrea Roberts (Goodreads Reviewer) "Once again, Bethany Atazadeh takes some risks with this Little Mermaid retelling and mixes in a lot of original story and world elements, along with engaging characters to make it an intriguing and magical read that I was sad to see end." Janine (Goodreads Reviewer) "I loved finding out what happens next. I'm excited and am definitely going to read the third book. Captivating story." Kaylee White (Goodreads Reviewer) THE STOLEN KINGDOM SERIES READING ORDER: Book 1: The Stolen Kingdom: An Aladdin retelling Book 2: The Jinni Key: A Little Mermaid retelling Book 3: The Cursed Hunter: A Beauty and the Beast retelling Book 4: The Enchanted Crown: A Sleeping Beauty retelling THE QUEEN'S RISE SERIES (a connected trilogy in The Stolen Kingdom Universe) Book 1: The Secret Gift Book 2: The Secret Shadow Book 3: The Secret Curse




Becoming Muhammad Ali


Book Description

Two heavy-hitters in children's literature deliver a critically acclaimed, bestselling biographical novel of cultural icon Muhammad Ali. "This utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit."—School Library Journal (starred review) Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius' family and neighbors in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivaled Muhammad Ali. Fully authorized by and written in cooperation with the Muhammad Ali estate, and vividly brought to life by Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic artwork, Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time. Longlisted for the 2022-2023 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award, and nominated for the 2021-2022 Black Eyed Susan Book Award!




Folktales of Iraq


Book Description

The first English-language collection of Iraqi fairy tales, this enchanting book includes "The Fish That Laughed," "The Blind Sultan," and 46 other adventures, which will captivate readers of all ages.