A FOLKLORIC CELEBRATION OF THE SEASONS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

An enchanting story of the Persian New Year and moment when winter turns to spring, based on the Iranian folktale of Naneh Sarma and Amu Nowruz


In the land of Winter, queenly Naneh Sarma coats the mountains and valleys in ice and snow and when she is tired she rests in her spiky snow castle. But with no one to talk to, Naneh Sarma gets lonely. In this gentle story based on a household Iranian folktale, Naneh Sarma journeys to the far off land of Spring to seek Amu Nowruz, Spring’s herald, who sows the meadows with the seeds and flowers that fill his enormous knapsack. At the border between Winter and Spring, Naneh Sarma waits patiently for Amu Nowruz but by the time he arrives, she has fallen fast asleep. Gently, in her outstretched hands, Amu Nowruz plants violets.

In the land of Winter, wide expanses of white snow and craggy mountains rise against backdrops of pale pink, blue, and gray while in the land of Spring, a profusion of green leaves and intricate flowers climb across the pages. Illustrated with Nooshin Safakhoo’s precisely inked lines and enchanting colors, this tale of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, rejoices in each pale wintersweet flower, icy gust of snow, and fresh tulip blossom alike.
Hadi Mohammadi is a distinguished Iranian children's book writer, researcher, and critic. He began his career as a freelance writer at the age of 22 and has now published more than 40 novels and picture books for children and young adults. A strong proponent of women's rights, Mohammadi has centered strong and confident girls as his heroines throughout his career. His work has been translated into several languages, including English, Thai, Turkish, Korean, and Arabic. He was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006. View titles by Hadi Mohammadi
Nooshin Safakhoo was born in Tehran in 1980. After teaching painting classes and illustrating magazine articles, she began a long career of painting precise, lyrical images for children's books, including The Owl & the Jaybird and Shahname. Her illustrations for In the Meadow of Fantasies have earned her numerous awards, including from the NAMI Concours; and she has been selected three times to show her work at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. View titles by Nooshin Safakhoo

Educator Guide for Amu Nowruz and His Violets

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

"The pages explode in vibrant greens and reds as readers meet Amu Nowruz, who lives in the lush land of Spring . . . Detailing the origins of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, this is a lovely, vividly illustrated tale . . . Artistic and wistful, this is a sophisticated ode to the changing seasons."
Kirkus Reviews

"Delicate details and joyful colors vivify this Persian folktale. From a castle made of snow atop the highest mountain, Naneh Sarma spreads winter across the land; her icy isolation grows lonely. From beyond the edge of winter, she hears Amu Nowruz, the herald of spring, singing; she sets out to meet him at the boundary. She falls asleep before he arrives, however, and he plants violets in her sleeping hands; the two forever meet only “at the dusk of winter and the dawn of spring.”
Danielle Ballantyne, Foreword Reviews, starred

"Safakhoo’s distinctive artwork is made up of precise inked lines, intricate flowers and leaves, and contrasting colors which highlight the opposing seasons perfectly. Translated from Persian, the text is gentle, flowing, and poetic . . . This special folktale blooms to life upon the pages, and contains a sweet story of loneliness, friendship, and love."
—Michele Shaw, School Library Journal

"Amu Nowruz and His Violets by Hadi Mohammadi is a beautifully woven tapestry of Persian folklore, brought to life with the enchanting illustrations of Nooshin Safakhoo. This heartwarming story, translated by Sara Khalili, invites readers of all ages to experience the magic and cultural richness of Nowruz, the Persian New Year."
Momma Braga

"Nooshin Safakhoo’s chosen hues in the book range from purples, blues, reds, and whites in winter to greens, oranges, and pinks in spring. The depictions of Nowruz, Sarma, and the flora are done in a unique style, with beautiful illustrations . . . This picture book will enthrall readers who want to discover new translations, especially folktales from other countries. Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes."
Maria Touet, Youth Services Book Review
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About

A FOLKLORIC CELEBRATION OF THE SEASONS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

An enchanting story of the Persian New Year and moment when winter turns to spring, based on the Iranian folktale of Naneh Sarma and Amu Nowruz


In the land of Winter, queenly Naneh Sarma coats the mountains and valleys in ice and snow and when she is tired she rests in her spiky snow castle. But with no one to talk to, Naneh Sarma gets lonely. In this gentle story based on a household Iranian folktale, Naneh Sarma journeys to the far off land of Spring to seek Amu Nowruz, Spring’s herald, who sows the meadows with the seeds and flowers that fill his enormous knapsack. At the border between Winter and Spring, Naneh Sarma waits patiently for Amu Nowruz but by the time he arrives, she has fallen fast asleep. Gently, in her outstretched hands, Amu Nowruz plants violets.

In the land of Winter, wide expanses of white snow and craggy mountains rise against backdrops of pale pink, blue, and gray while in the land of Spring, a profusion of green leaves and intricate flowers climb across the pages. Illustrated with Nooshin Safakhoo’s precisely inked lines and enchanting colors, this tale of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, rejoices in each pale wintersweet flower, icy gust of snow, and fresh tulip blossom alike.

Author

Hadi Mohammadi is a distinguished Iranian children's book writer, researcher, and critic. He began his career as a freelance writer at the age of 22 and has now published more than 40 novels and picture books for children and young adults. A strong proponent of women's rights, Mohammadi has centered strong and confident girls as his heroines throughout his career. His work has been translated into several languages, including English, Thai, Turkish, Korean, and Arabic. He was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006. View titles by Hadi Mohammadi
Nooshin Safakhoo was born in Tehran in 1980. After teaching painting classes and illustrating magazine articles, she began a long career of painting precise, lyrical images for children's books, including The Owl & the Jaybird and Shahname. Her illustrations for In the Meadow of Fantasies have earned her numerous awards, including from the NAMI Concours; and she has been selected three times to show her work at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. View titles by Nooshin Safakhoo

Guides

Educator Guide for Amu Nowruz and His Violets

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Praise

"The pages explode in vibrant greens and reds as readers meet Amu Nowruz, who lives in the lush land of Spring . . . Detailing the origins of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, this is a lovely, vividly illustrated tale . . . Artistic and wistful, this is a sophisticated ode to the changing seasons."
Kirkus Reviews

"Delicate details and joyful colors vivify this Persian folktale. From a castle made of snow atop the highest mountain, Naneh Sarma spreads winter across the land; her icy isolation grows lonely. From beyond the edge of winter, she hears Amu Nowruz, the herald of spring, singing; she sets out to meet him at the boundary. She falls asleep before he arrives, however, and he plants violets in her sleeping hands; the two forever meet only “at the dusk of winter and the dawn of spring.”
Danielle Ballantyne, Foreword Reviews, starred

"Safakhoo’s distinctive artwork is made up of precise inked lines, intricate flowers and leaves, and contrasting colors which highlight the opposing seasons perfectly. Translated from Persian, the text is gentle, flowing, and poetic . . . This special folktale blooms to life upon the pages, and contains a sweet story of loneliness, friendship, and love."
—Michele Shaw, School Library Journal

"Amu Nowruz and His Violets by Hadi Mohammadi is a beautifully woven tapestry of Persian folklore, brought to life with the enchanting illustrations of Nooshin Safakhoo. This heartwarming story, translated by Sara Khalili, invites readers of all ages to experience the magic and cultural richness of Nowruz, the Persian New Year."
Momma Braga

"Nooshin Safakhoo’s chosen hues in the book range from purples, blues, reds, and whites in winter to greens, oranges, and pinks in spring. The depictions of Nowruz, Sarma, and the flora are done in a unique style, with beautiful illustrations . . . This picture book will enthrall readers who want to discover new translations, especially folktales from other countries. Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes."
Maria Touet, Youth Services Book Review

Photos

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