Riding a Donkey Backwards: Wise and Foolish Tales of the Mulla Nasruddin

(Paperback)

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A collection of 21 riotous tales and riddles about the Mullah Nasruddin


Why does Mulla Nasruddin spoon yoghurt into the river What is the reason he rides his donkey backwards Why does he paint a picture that is blank And is he crazy to move into the house of the man who's just burgled him

Find out all about the amazing antics of Nasruddin in these twenty-one hilarious stories and riddles, famous throughout the Middle East for their jokes, riddles and wisdom.

Reviews

"Written in a lively, fresh and accessible style, bridging the east and west, the old & new. The books backstory is also inspiring..."

"Muslim culture is portrayed in its richness without the text feeling like a cultural studies project, and the sheer warmth and playfulness of each little vignette gives an insight into the common ground in all cultures that humour breaks. Children and adults will find themselves laughing out loud at the Mullas antics. Highly recommended."

"Sumptuous...It's a collection of 21 tales and riddles about a trickster known across Muslim culture. The text feels modern, but the illustrations feel traditional. They are bright and welcoming, playful and intelligent."

"Full of brilliant humour and amazing papercut illustrations, it's a real treat!"

"Jokes, riddles and wisdom in a riotous collection of classic tales starring a popular character from the Islamic world. Khayall Theatre is an award-winning company dedicated to the exploration of Muslim literature for stage, radio and screen."

"Theyre just right for classroom use across a wide age range as well as great to share as a family. The tellings are enormous fun and Shirin Adls humorous collage illustrations an absolute delight; dont miss the splendid Islamic tessellation style endpapers."

Author Bio

Sean Taylor is a childrens author, storyteller and teacher with experience of creative writing teaching in three continents. Two of his books have been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize: Purple Class and the Half-Eaten Sweater and Crocodiles are the Best Animals of All (with Hannah Shaw). Sean Taylor lives in Bristol. Khayaal is a multi-award-winning theatre and drama education company dedicated to the exploration of Muslim world literature and the experience of Muslims in the modern world for the stage, radio and screen.


Shirin Adl was born in the UK but was brought up in Iran. Her many books for children include Pea Boy, Stories from Iran, and Shahnameh, with Elizabeth Laird, Ramadan Moon and Mabrook! A World of Muslim Weddings, with Naima Robert, Lets Celebrate and Lets Play, poetry anthologies with Debjani Chatterjee, and The Book of Dreams, which she wrote and illustrated herself. Shirin Adl lives in Oxford.