Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads

Elementary Education


Guides
Collections
News
(0)
Wish List (0)
Wish List
Download high-resolution image

Amu Nowruz and His Violets

Author Hadi Mohammadi
Illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo
Translated by Sara Khalili
Ebook
Steerforth Press | Elsewhere Editions
On sale Oct 15, 2024 | 34 Pages | 9781953861931
Up to Kindergarten
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies
See Additional Formats
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.)

Read More
"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

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.)

Read More

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

Additional formats

Other Books by this Author

Related Articles

General Education & Professional Learning

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

General Education & Professional Learning
Social Studies & History Math The Arts General Early Concepts Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series Science & Technology

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

Social Studies & History Math The Arts General Early Concepts Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series Science & Technology
DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request
General Publisher's Spotlight English Language Arts

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

General Publisher's Spotlight English Language Arts
education translanguaging collections affirming bilingual and multilingual learners
General Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series The Arts

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

General Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series The Arts

About Elementary Education

Penguin Random House Education

Penguin Random House

About Elementary Education

Penguin Random House Education

Penguin Random House

Back to Top
0
    • 0
    Elementary Education
    Wish List (0)