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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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MAMA SHAMSI AT THE BAZAAR

Maya Fidawi Samira Iravani Mojdeh Hassani

It's market day for Samira and her grandma! The bazaar is crowded, but this sweet pair knows how to stick together in this silly picture book set in Iran.
Mama Shamsi is off to the market, and today, Samira gets to go with her! Samira loves spending time with her grandmother, and she especially loves her chador, which Mama Shamsi wraps around herself every time they leave the house. As the pair get closer and closer to the market, Samira is worried about getting lost in the crowded streets of Tehran, until she has an idea: She can hide under her grandmother's chador. But when Mama Shamsi says no - if Samira hides under there, the pair of them will look like a strange animal! In imaginary spreads, Samira and Mama Shamsi turn into a donkey, a giraffe, a kangaroo, a turtle - hiding isn't working at all. But maybe there's some other way for Samira to stay safe with her grandma in the crowded market.


Mojdeh Hassani is a New York-based teacher with more than thirty-five years of experience. She holds two master's degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University in the fields of developmental psychology and early childhood special education. She has always felt that if you know a person you can't hate them, and this is what drives her to share stories from her homeland, Iran. Mojdeh's favorite people in the world are her family and students, and she loves spending time cuddling with her dog, Valentine.

Samira Iravani is a New York native, NYU graduate, and book cover designer. She has been a lover of the written word since she was as little as the Samira in this book, especially tales from Iran, her parents' homeland. When she's not designing or weaving her own tales, she also loves cuddling Valentine (and will not share his attentions with her mom, Mojdeh).

Maya Fidawi graduated from the Faculty of Art at the Lebanese University with specializations in painting and sculpting, and is one of the best loved children's illustrators in the Middle East. She has illustrated more than fifty children's books for publishers based in Lebanon, the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Italy, and has conducted workshops for professional illustrators throughout the Arab World and in Turkey, Italy, and Brazil. Her work has won national and international awards, and she is a two-time winner of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, given at the Sharjah International Book Fair to the best children's books published in the Arabic language.
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Book

Published 2023-02-28 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Book

Published 2023-02-28 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Comments

...A life lesson is presented in the story to teach young readers that bonding and feeling safe does not have to be a hard thing to experience. Read more...

OH THE BOOKS WE LOVE highlighted MAMA SHAMSI AT THE BAZAAR on Instagram: ...What I loved most about this book is how entertaining the storyline is! Who knew something as simple as a walk down to the bazaar could be so fun?! The rhymes in this book make both the reader and listeners laugh out loud! It's not even 2023 yet, but I already know that this will be one of my *FAVORITE* read alouds of the year! Read more...

Susie Wilde from IGNITING WRITING shared a wonderful review on GEEMS' GEMS Instagram and TikTok and featured the book as a recommendation in the Family Success Alliance Newsletter. Read more...

Chinese (compl.): China Times Publishing ; Farsi: MEHRSA

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S FUSE8 (102k UVM) ran a Q&A with authors Mojdeh Hassani and Samira Iravani on February 23rd. Read more...

PICTUREBOOKING PODCAST released an interview with illustrator Maya Fidawi on February 22nd Read more...

Set in Tehran, this title is a welcome addition to the bookshelf... A mother-daughter team wrote this exquisite, loving book about a grandmother and granddaughter. The illustrations contain so many details; they're fun to pore over. Look for the kitty cats! And don't overlook the note from the authors in the back of the book. Read more...

This is a rhythmic, super fun read aloud based on the author's childhood experiences. The illustrator's vivid illustrations really bring Tehran to life. Read more...

[A] cozy, whimsical outing... evoke[s] the familiar warmth of a child's relationship with a beloved grandparent. A return to the city's lively streets for a second look at the book's urban milieu could extend a cuddly lapsit or an engaging storytime with grandparents and caretakers.

The mother-daughter team of authors based the story on their own experiences with a grandmother's chador as a safe place to shelter. Hassani also pulled from her memories of the bazaar she visited during her childhood in Tehran... An affectionate portrayal of a grandmother and grandchild that also showcases a cultural garment.

In this rhyming story, a young girl named Samira is accompanying her grandmother Mama Shamsi to the bazaar in Tehran for the first time. She is nervous, and keeps asking Mama Shamsi if she can hide in her chador. Kids will love Mama Shamsi's funny reactions to Samira's suggestions, and the sweet way Mama Shamsi helps Samira to overcome her fears. Read more...

Fidawi's collage-like digital illustrations overlay realistic city scenes with playful images of Mama Shamsi's imaginings, sweetly blending the realistic with the fantastical.

This beautifully illustrated story captures Iranian culture and a warmhearted family relationship. Read more...

...this book is a silly heartfelt picture book about a girl and her chador wearing grandmother heading to the bazaar. Read more...

The rhythmic, playful text beautifully captures the dual patter of an excited child and a bustling city... richly hued, often comedically exaggerated illustrations... a charming and comforting tale.

MUSLIM MOMMY BLOG recommended MAMA SHAMSI AT THE BAZAAR on Instagram Read more...