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Yaffa and Fatima Spiral-Bound | 2017-01-01

Fawzia Gilani-Williams Chiara Fedele (Illustrated by)

$13.69 - Free Shipping

Two neighbors--one Jewish, one Muslim--have always been best friends. When they both fall on hard times, can they find a way to help each other? In Fawzia Gilani's retelling of this folktale--which has both Jewish and Arab origins--differences are not always causes for conflict and friendship can overcome any obstacle.

Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Original Binding: Paperback Picture Book
Pages: 24 pages
ISBN-10: 1467794236
Item Weight: 0.4 lbs
Dimensions: 10.6 x 0.1 x 8.9 inches

"Yaffa and Fatima are neighbors in the Land of Milk and Honey, where each tends her own date grove.
Every day they pick and sell their dates, cook and share tasty foods, and pray to God--Yaffa in the
synagogue and Fatima in the mosque. When hard times come, they worry about the other's welfare, and
when they realize that each has been secretly sharing with the other, they are grateful for their friendship.
Inspired by traditional Jewish and Arab tales that usually feature brothers, as in Neil Waldman's The Two
Brothers: A Legend of Jerusalem (1997), this female-oriented story is told in folkloric style, adding a
multicultural emphasis not present in the originals. Yaffa and Fatima both observe their own cultural and
linguistic traditions, but that never prevents them from appreciating their differences and caring about the
other. Fedele's artwork features earth tones (appropriate to the arid climate) accented in teal (for Yaffa)
and red (for Fatima). A timeless story, this tale makes its point without ever becoming didactic."
―Booklist Online

Fawzia Gilani was born and raised in England where she became a teacher. She is the author of many children's books and an international educational consultant with a PhD in children's literature and character development. She is a Global Representative for the International Positive Education Network and works for the Abu Dhabi Education Council. She spends her time in the United Arab Emirates, Ohio, and England with her daughter and husband.