The Old Woman and the Eagle - Softcover
In this amusing story, an old woman encounters an eagle for the first time. Perplexed by its unfamiliar appearance, she decides to change it to suit her own ideas of what a bird should look like. Her efforts mirror a common pattern of human thought: altering the unfamiliar to make it acceptable. This tale is specially presented for children by Afghan author Idries Shah, who, for more than 30 years, collected stories from the Sufi tradition and adapted them to contemporary Western culture. Told since ancient times throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, such tales are used to help foster greater mental flexibility and insight in people of all ages.
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From the Publisher:
It wasn't very long ago that few Americans even knew where Afghanistan was, much less had any interest in its culture or those of its Central Asian neighbors. While things have changed in that regard, there are still precious few children's books in our country having to do with that part of the world.
About the Author:
This lack makes Hoopoe’s award-winning series all the more compelling. These enchanting and beautifully illustrated books, which have delighted children, parents and educators since 1998, are based on traditional stories from Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East, collected and written for children by Afghan author Idries Shah.
The latest in this series, THE OLD WOMAN AND THE EAGLE will not disappoint. Superbly illustrated by Natasha Delmar, daughter of the celebrated classic Chinese painter Ng Yi-Ching, and intended for children ages 3-8, it tells with gentle humor what happens when an old woman encounters an eagle for the first time. Perplexed by its unfamiliar appearance, she decides to change it to suit her own ideas of what a bird should look like. Her efforts – which much to the poor eagle’s chagrin, include straightening its beak, trimming its claws and smoothing its feathers – mirror a common pattern of human thought: altering the unfamiliar to make it acceptable.
This book, like the previous seven in Hoopoe’s series, does more than entertain. It encourages children to think for themselves and helps foster greater insight and mental flexibility in people of all ages. In the process, it also teaches us something about an important but little-known culture.
Few Americans realize that, prior to the Soviet invasion and subsequent chaos in that country, Afghanistan was a major cultural crossroads, a place where many races lived alongside each other in harmony and where a rich, diverse culture developed over many centuries. THE OLD WOMAN AND THE EAGLE – like its fellow Hoopoe titles – provides a beautiful and positive representation of that culture when we need it most.
The exquisite illustrations offer a taste of the dress, geography and art of the region. Children delight in the story – as they have done for more than a thousand years. At this difficult time, this book can help children get a better understanding of a very important part of the world, what we have in common, and what we can learn from each other.
Idries Shah spent much of his life collecting Sufi classical narratives and teaching stories from oral and written sources in the Middle East and Central Asia and publishing them in book form. The eleven tales he wrote especially for children are published by Hoopoe as beautifully illustrated books, all of which have been commended by Western educators and psychologists, the Library of Congress, National Public Radio and other media for their unique ability to foster social-emotional development, thinking skills and perception in children and adults alike. Told for centuries, these stories express universal themes and a positive representation of important but often misunderstood cultures, showing how much we have in common and what we can learn from each other. They acknowledge a child’s individuality and uniqueness and encourage a sense of confidence, responsibility and purpose.
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- PublisherHoopoe Books
- Publication date2005
- ISBN 10 1883536782
- ISBN 13 9781883536787
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages32
- Rating
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