The Arabian Nights collected by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora A. Smith –OPTIONAL

The Arabian Nights collected by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora A. Smith, illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. 384 pages, Atheneum, 2019 $30.  978-1534430181

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL –OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This is a collection of twelve stories adapted from Tales of a Thousand and One Nights. There are the memorable Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, and The Story of Ali Baba and Forty Thieves. There are others that are less known but give us characters we know –The Story of the Fisherman and the Genie. There are several color illustrations by famous artist Maxfield Parrish.

This book is gorgeous and a wonderful selection of stories, however, I don’t think it would be a big sell for its intended age group: 8-12year olds. I think the vocabulary, cadence of the storytelling, and the vernacular would be comprehensible for most younger readers. Older readers may be off put by the horrible introduction by the women who collected these stories in 1909. A better intro would be the history of Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, with maps, fun facts, and why the selection was chosen for young readers. Maxfield Parrish is one of my favorite artists but those included in this edition leave much to be desired.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author