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Tales of the World
Waiting for the Owl's Call
Eight-year-old Zulviya, her sister and her cousin, her mother and her grandmother... they all belong to the loom. For generations the women of Zulviya’s family have earned their living by weaving rugs by hand.
The rugs are valuable and the women are proud of their beautiful handiwork. But the work is hard. It takes months to weave a rug; each one contains hundreds of thousands of knots. Before one work day has passed, Zulviya will tie thousands of knots.
As she sits at her work, Zulviya weaves not one but two patterns. The pattern on the loom will become a fine rug. She weaves a second pattern in her mind. There she sees the green of the Afghani hills, the bright blue of the nearby lake, and the vivid orange of the setting sun. And Zulviya takes comfort in the landscape in her mind.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2009
About the author
Gloria Whelan
78 books348 followersGloria Whelan is the best-selling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award; Fruitlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect; Angel on the Square and its companion, The Impossible Journey; Once on This Island, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award; Farewell to the Island; and Return to the Island. She lives with her husband, Joseph, in the woods of northern Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 21, 2019
This book is about child labour but didn't really show this very clearly. Instead, most of the book is about where the various colours of dye come from. The message was very subtle and many younger readers might miss the meaning of the book.
March 29, 2020
A young girl named Zulviya, part of the Turkoman community of Afghanistan, narrates this story of her family's involvement in the rug-making industry, and her own long day at the loom, waiting for the owl's call that signals the end of work. Waking with the muezzin's call to prayer, and working until her fingers bleed, Zulviya sits between her cousin Aghabil and her sister Aqbika, where she holds two patterns in her mind: the pattern of the rug taking shape before her, and her own internal pattern, which weaves together the beauty of the world around her, and her own thoughts and dreams. After an evening celebration in honor of a bakshy, or traveling musician, eight-year-old Zulviya falls exhausted into her bed, to dream of a pattern in which there is no loom to cast its shadow over her...
The Turkoman, or Turkmen people, are the majority ethnicity in the country of Turkmenistan, but also have populations in Afghanistan, Iran and other parts of Central Asia. They should not be confused with the Turkoman people of northern Iraq, who are linguistically distinct from the Oghuz Turks (Turkmen). Given that there is potential for this kind of confusion, especially amongst young readers who might be unfamiliar with the region, and given that this is part of a series (Tales of the World) intended to introduce American children to their counterparts around the world, I was particularly disappointed to note that, although Gloria Whelan did include an afterward about the rug industry, and the use of child labor, she did not include any information about the Turkoman people.
Leaving that issue aside, I greatly enjoyed Waiting for the Owl's Call, which offers a very gentle introduction to a sobering reality: the use and abuse of child labor in rug weaving. I liked that the narrative focused on Zulviya, and her thoughts and feelings. I liked that her parents and community are not made out to be the "bad guys," and that the narrative hints that both adults and children are aware that the girls should be in school, but that other (unstated) factors, like poverty, have prevented it. Finally, I simply adored the artwork by Pascal Milelli, with its lovely impressionistic quality! I think the illustrations really bumped this from a three to a four-star rating, and I will definitely be looking for his forthcoming title, Seal Song !
The Turkoman, or Turkmen people, are the majority ethnicity in the country of Turkmenistan, but also have populations in Afghanistan, Iran and other parts of Central Asia. They should not be confused with the Turkoman people of northern Iraq, who are linguistically distinct from the Oghuz Turks (Turkmen). Given that there is potential for this kind of confusion, especially amongst young readers who might be unfamiliar with the region, and given that this is part of a series (Tales of the World) intended to introduce American children to their counterparts around the world, I was particularly disappointed to note that, although Gloria Whelan did include an afterward about the rug industry, and the use of child labor, she did not include any information about the Turkoman people.
Leaving that issue aside, I greatly enjoyed Waiting for the Owl's Call, which offers a very gentle introduction to a sobering reality: the use and abuse of child labor in rug weaving. I liked that the narrative focused on Zulviya, and her thoughts and feelings. I liked that her parents and community are not made out to be the "bad guys," and that the narrative hints that both adults and children are aware that the girls should be in school, but that other (unstated) factors, like poverty, have prevented it. Finally, I simply adored the artwork by Pascal Milelli, with its lovely impressionistic quality! I think the illustrations really bumped this from a three to a four-star rating, and I will definitely be looking for his forthcoming title, Seal Song !
April 24, 2010
I don't think the story made its point quite as effectively as the author intended. The back matter explained about the many children who are forced into rug/tapestry weaving instead of being allowed to go to school.The text made it seem like any day the protagonist might be allowed to school, and it was only a simple oversight. For older children and teens, Iqbal makes the point quite clear.
November 19, 2012
Grade/interest level: Primary (1st-3rd grade)
Reading level: No lexile level available
Genre: Realistic fiction, multicultural
Main Characters: Zulviya
Setting: Zulviya's home in Afghanistan as well as the marketplace where they sell their rugs
POV: from Zulviya
This is the story of a young girl named Zulviya who along with her cousin and sister belong to the loom. The loom is a group of women who make knots for the carpets that they sell at the marketplace. One day when selling one of their rugs, a man asks their mother about school. This intrigues the girls as they wish for something else. Zulviya constantly daydreams about making designs showing the beauty of her life rather than the ones she must knot for during her working time. The owl's call tells the workers of the loom it is time to stop for the day and Zulviya's dreams are filled with making her own patterns other than those of the loom.
This story can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. For one, it can be looked at through a social justice lens and asks the question what happens to these young girls in Afghanistan forced to work the loom just as their mothers and grandmothers before them have done because that is how they make a living. Another way this book can be used is by looking at the metaphors used in the book and seeing what they represent as well as how they enhance the story rather than just saying it outright.
Reading level: No lexile level available
Genre: Realistic fiction, multicultural
Main Characters: Zulviya
Setting: Zulviya's home in Afghanistan as well as the marketplace where they sell their rugs
POV: from Zulviya
This is the story of a young girl named Zulviya who along with her cousin and sister belong to the loom. The loom is a group of women who make knots for the carpets that they sell at the marketplace. One day when selling one of their rugs, a man asks their mother about school. This intrigues the girls as they wish for something else. Zulviya constantly daydreams about making designs showing the beauty of her life rather than the ones she must knot for during her working time. The owl's call tells the workers of the loom it is time to stop for the day and Zulviya's dreams are filled with making her own patterns other than those of the loom.
This story can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. For one, it can be looked at through a social justice lens and asks the question what happens to these young girls in Afghanistan forced to work the loom just as their mothers and grandmothers before them have done because that is how they make a living. Another way this book can be used is by looking at the metaphors used in the book and seeing what they represent as well as how they enhance the story rather than just saying it outright.
April 30, 2017
This simply told story is about Zulviya, a young 8-year-old Turkoman girl and her sister and cousin who help their family make a living weaving rugs to sell in rural Afghanistan. These children are prisoners to the loom. Zulviya has a vivid imagination that she uses to take her away from the tedium of her weaving. You sense in the story that she wants to help her family yet also longs for something else, something more--school.
Twenty years ago someone gave me a small silk Oriental rug, which I loved until I found out that it most likely had been made with child labor. I feel guilty walking on it now.
On a positive note, the description of all the natural materials they use to make dyes for their wool was fascinating. I also appreciated the author's note at the end about RugMark, the organization that tries to rescue children such as Zulviya from the loom. Anyone who is considering buying an oriental rug should read this book as well as Francesco D'Adamo's Iqbal and Susan Kuklin's Iqbal Masih and the Crusaders Against Child Slavery first. Recommended!
Twenty years ago someone gave me a small silk Oriental rug, which I loved until I found out that it most likely had been made with child labor. I feel guilty walking on it now.
On a positive note, the description of all the natural materials they use to make dyes for their wool was fascinating. I also appreciated the author's note at the end about RugMark, the organization that tries to rescue children such as Zulviya from the loom. Anyone who is considering buying an oriental rug should read this book as well as Francesco D'Adamo's Iqbal and Susan Kuklin's Iqbal Masih and the Crusaders Against Child Slavery first. Recommended!
December 18, 2018
Waiting for the Owl's Call is a good discussion book for parents and educators to share with older children about the normality of child labor in other parts of the world. If the author was trying to convey his opinion of these long weaving days being a negative he didn't succeed. More than anything I felt showed more of a cultural way of life that is different from how we currently live in the United States. Yes the girls did show curiosity about what "school" was but they were not unhappy in their small family business that has been passed down for generations.
January 22, 2018
Young girls in Afghanistan have to weave rugs on looms all day to make money to live. It's hard work during which they tie thousands ... and for the more experienced, hundreds of thousands ... of knots each day. In the author's notes at the back of the book, there is information about how children are being freed from that life of abuse.
February 27, 2010
Tells the story of a youn girl weaving rugs for her family business in afghanistan. Mentions that kids are not able to go to school, but does not reveal anything about more disturbing cases of child labour (selling of children, abuse etc.) Lyrical, illustrations are beautiful.
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December 10, 2009how children live (Turkomans)
August 16, 2010
A beautiful "Tale of the World" from Afghanistan.
October 27, 2010
Marvelously illustrated story of an Afghan girl who weaves instead of goes to school, but likes the sound of school as much as the bells of her sister's hat.
August 4, 2016
This is a good book about young girls from a different culture. It shows how some children are not able to attend school because they must work to survive.
February 28, 2015
While weaving rugs with her sisters, she thinks of the colors and connects them with her life.
August 27, 2023
I see many comments that this children's book does not correctly portray the horror of child labor that they believe the author is trying to portray. At no point should you ever be trying to portray horror in a book meant for children. I am sure that there are children (and adults) who have no idea that the lives they live every day are unimaginable to others. Adults and children should see this book differently. But I actively downvote any book that presents as a children's book that shows every horror of a situation to children who cannot do anything to stop that thing from happening. I have horrible memories of such books as a child still to this day. Even adults struggle with helplessness in various situations but children have even fewer opportunities to make changes upon their world. I thought this was very creatively done. Both children and adults can use this to see a different way of seeing the world. It does not need to be what some readers expect it to be. I do however wish some of the visuals were a bit more specific. Having never used a loom before, some of the descriptions were a bit hard to imagine. But what I don't need from this book is for child labor to be thrown into my face.
July 23, 2022
This book in the Tales of the World series tells about the life of Zulivya, a young girl whose family makes Turkoman rugs. She sits at the loom all day tying colorful knots of wool into beautifully patterned carpets to sell. When her family lives in the lands of their enemies, they live in tents/huts; when they are in the land of their friends, they live in buildings. They shear the sheep they raise, wash the wool, card & spin it into thread, make dye from the natural plants & materials they gather to color it, & weave the carpet on the big loom. It's hard on the back, hands, & legs. Zulivya hears talk of children who go to school & wishes she could go, too. As she ties her knots, she follows the ancestral pattern her family has used through generations but, in her mind, she creates her own colorful pattern from all the things she sees around her in nature. She waits to hear the call of the owl which means she's done for the day & can celebrate with her family & friends--eating, dancing, talking. Then off to sleep & rest up for another day. This is a beautiful story about the Turkmen culture.
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July 23, 2021Thank you to Gloria Whelan for her uncomprising storytelling that brings forth the hidden lives of children across time and space.
Author's note:
"When you buy a rug you look at color, pattern, and workmanship. It might not occur to you that your rug was woven by children. In many countries, children are prisoners of their looms, doing without school and play, weaving away their childhood." The author recommends visiting the organization RugMark, www.rugmark.org: "A global nonprofit organization working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and offer educational opportunities to children in South Asia."
Companion read: "Chandra's Magic Light: A Story in Nepal" by Theresa Heine.
Author's note:
"When you buy a rug you look at color, pattern, and workmanship. It might not occur to you that your rug was woven by children. In many countries, children are prisoners of their looms, doing without school and play, weaving away their childhood." The author recommends visiting the organization RugMark, www.rugmark.org: "A global nonprofit organization working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and offer educational opportunities to children in South Asia."
Companion read: "Chandra's Magic Light: A Story in Nepal" by Theresa Heine.
Read
February 6, 2025Zulviya and her two sisters live in Afghanistan. All day long, they help weave rugs for their family to sell, just like their mother and grandmother did. But Zulviya wishes she could go to school in the next village. While she weaves, she daydreams about the colors of her life.
I loved this book! It was a perfect blend of advocating for a better life for kids like Zulviya, and understanding that Zulviya working is an old tradition, and was not necessarily meant to be child labor as we think of it.
I think this would be an interesting technique to try when talking about emotions: get some paint (or yarn!) and talk about what each color feels like. Maybe it would help some kids.
I loved this book! It was a perfect blend of advocating for a better life for kids like Zulviya, and understanding that Zulviya working is an old tradition, and was not necessarily meant to be child labor as we think of it.
I think this would be an interesting technique to try when talking about emotions: get some paint (or yarn!) and talk about what each color feels like. Maybe it would help some kids.
January 24, 2022
This author wrote a number of picture books about children in other cultures. They are pretty well done! To me, these seem like an appropriate way to introduce young children to the larger world. "Waiting for the Owl's Call" is about young girls in Afghanistan who weave carpets all day.
July 4, 2024
This was an interesting book. It was a little text heavy for younger readers, but older readers would be fine with it. The illustrations were good. I think it is a story that over all isn't bad, but isn't amazing and it wouldn't be a first to recommend.
August 26, 2024
A story about child labour and how the girl yearns to study. However, felt the story focussed more one the colours and the design of the textile instead of the protagonist’s desires instead.
December 10, 2013
this is a great book to use in multiple subjects. it tells the story of Zulviya, a young Pakistani girl who has desires to go school but must make rugs to support her family
December 22, 2017
Three child sisters weave on loom like their mother and grandmother and female generations before, in this story of the Turkomans in Afganistan. They describe the process of collecting nature dyes for wool, collecting wool, through descriptive text of the process and weaving. This description tells as much about the culture as the weaving process. Accompanying the descriptive text are lovely painted illustrations that make the story come alive. The only change of pace is with author's note which alerts readers to problem of illegal child labor for making rugs. Vivid and fascinating window into Turkoman culture in Afghanistan.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews