Janis's review
The Storyteller's Daughter: A Retelling of "The Arabian Nights" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
That is a really good book! I really enjoyed it!
Thanks! I'm not very far into it yet, but I like it so far.
Of course, a lot depends on how long those "few chapters" before you really get captured are. Experienced (read: patient) readers don't care, but many of my students have little patience for exposition of any kind -- esp. if it goes longer than 10 pp. Still, I think the cultural angle (given the world climate these days) would be good for them. The more kids know about diverse cultures in the world, the better.
Newengland, you're right. To be fair I started this when reading another book, so this one I only read a few minutes at a time at first. It's a pretty quick read, and I did like it from the start. It wasn't a difficult story to get into.
The chapters are fairly short. The story only 218 pages. Where I really became captured by the story was in the fourth chapter, about page 44, where the fateful marriage of Shahrazad to the King for the proclaimed "one night" becomes imminent.
Prior to that the background of Shahrazad and the King is set up, events that bring them to that fateful marriage. The naration is interesting, it has the feel of being told a story from an oral storyteller, which I liked. And prior to the fourth chapter there was already one story within the story. Although I do wonder if reluctant readers would be thinking during these stories within the story (which is part of "Arabian Nights" after all) "just get ON with it".
But the stories included actually have meaning to the main story (although they could be skipped if someone really wanted to).
Thanks for the added info! Jan. 19-27 is the dreaded (because it's another excuse to spend) "Educator Appreciation Week" at the local Barnes & Ignoble, where discounts are 25% (instead of the usual 20%). Eh. Another excuse to buy books (which the kids will lose or steal... well, in some cases).
I agree with Nancie Atwell who says all bookstore chains should provide, as a matter of course, 30% discounts to teachers if the books are for classroom use. Of course, that's easy to agree with, isn't it.
You know I've never read the original 1,001 Nights -- and I have a feeling I'm not alone.
I agree with the discount idea. You're right, it's easy to agree with. I buy a lot of my books used on Amazon.
I'm sure I've read parts of 1001 Nights, but not since I was a kid. I'm sure you're not alone. I should read it (again?)
This book will has the flavor of the different culture, but not itself a true study of culture.
If you don't know the premise it is this. The king will marry a maiden for one night, then she'll be killed and it's on to the next one. Shahrazad escapes this fate by telling a story that doesn't end so the king keeps giving her a repreive in order to hear the rest of the story. It is from "1001 Nights" that we get "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" and other stories.
Girls will probably like it, boys perhaps not so much.
Another thing I liked was the strong message that one's worth is not always apparent, does not come from the approval and acceptance of others, and also someone may do terrible things because they are lost and in pain. There's good food for thought in this book.
Thanks. We should all be gourmets when it comes to "food for thought"! I will keep an eye out for it this weekend...
Janis's review
The Storyteller's Daughter: A Retelling of "The Arabian Nights" (Once Upon a Time) by Cameron Dokey
Janis's review
rating:
bookshelves:
read-in-2008,
recently-read,
recommend-to-katrina,
retold-fairytales,
teen-clean,
youngadult,
youngadult-fantasy
Retelling of "The Arabian Nights, or 1001 Nights".
Loved it. Although I enjoyed this story from the begining, it took a few chapters before I was really captured by it. The narration itself mimics the voice of an oral storyteller which was both fitting for the story and enjoyable to read.
Loved it. Although I enjoyed this story from the begining, it took a few chapters before I was really captured by it. The narration itself mimics the voice of an oral storyteller which was both fitting for the story and enjoyable to read.
That is a really good book! I really enjoyed it!
Thanks! I'm not very far into it yet, but I like it so far.
Of course, a lot depends on how long those "few chapters" before you really get captured are. Experienced (read: patient) readers don't care, but many of my students have little patience for exposition of any kind -- esp. if it goes longer than 10 pp. Still, I think the cultural angle (given the world climate these days) would be good for them. The more kids know about diverse cultures in the world, the better.
Newengland, you're right. To be fair I started this when reading another book, so this one I only read a few minutes at a time at first. It's a pretty quick read, and I did like it from the start. It wasn't a difficult story to get into.
The chapters are fairly short. The story only 218 pages. Where I really became captured by the story was in the fourth chapter, about page 44, where the fateful marriage of Shahrazad to the King for the proclaimed "one night" becomes imminent.
Prior to that the background of Shahrazad and the King is set up, events that bring them to that fateful marriage. The naration is interesting, it has the feel of being told a story from an oral storyteller, which I liked. And prior to the fourth chapter there was already one story within the story. Although I do wonder if reluctant readers would be thinking during these stories within the story (which is part of "Arabian Nights" after all) "just get ON with it".
But the stories included actually have meaning to the main story (although they could be skipped if someone really wanted to).
Thanks for the added info! Jan. 19-27 is the dreaded (because it's another excuse to spend) "Educator Appreciation Week" at the local Barnes & Ignoble, where discounts are 25% (instead of the usual 20%). Eh. Another excuse to buy books (which the kids will lose or steal... well, in some cases).I agree with Nancie Atwell who says all bookstore chains should provide, as a matter of course, 30% discounts to teachers if the books are for classroom use. Of course, that's easy to agree with, isn't it.
You know I've never read the original 1,001 Nights -- and I have a feeling I'm not alone.
I agree with the discount idea. You're right, it's easy to agree with. I buy a lot of my books used on Amazon.
I'm sure I've read parts of 1001 Nights, but not since I was a kid. I'm sure you're not alone. I should read it (again?)
This book will has the flavor of the different culture, but not itself a true study of culture.
If you don't know the premise it is this. The king will marry a maiden for one night, then she'll be killed and it's on to the next one. Shahrazad escapes this fate by telling a story that doesn't end so the king keeps giving her a repreive in order to hear the rest of the story. It is from "1001 Nights" that we get "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" and other stories.
Girls will probably like it, boys perhaps not so much.
Another thing I liked was the strong message that one's worth is not always apparent, does not come from the approval and acceptance of others, and also someone may do terrible things because they are lost and in pain. There's good food for thought in this book.
Thanks. We should all be gourmets when it comes to "food for thought"! I will keep an eye out for it this weekend...