The Vincent van Gogh Atlas

Some years ago, on a visit to Amsterdam, my family and I visited the van Gogh Museum, a fascinating place. I just wish we had had a copy of this fascinating book to help us better understand the man, his life and work. Aimed at children of 9 upwards, this Junior Edition of the atlas starts with a clear contents which links drawings of the places he lived to his age and the page numbers where the information can be found, making it easy to navigate.

Each chapter covers part of his life, taking the reader from Z (Zundert where he was born) to A (Auvers-sur-Oise where he died) and is clearly illustrated with photographs, documents, sketches and maps. There are also colour illustrations dotted throughout, adding much to Vincent’s story which is told in a very accessible, chatty way.

This very attractive and informative book is easy to dip in and out of, useful for anyone interested in the man or his work. The ups and downs of his life, including his illness and ultimately his suicide, are all documented as part of the journey of his life. Useful for school and home alike, it is a fascinating read about a fascinating man.

The Vincent van Gogh Junior Edition

Nienke Denekamp and Rene van Blerk,

illustrated by Geert Gratama

Translated by Laura Watkinson

Rubinstein van Gogh Museum ISBN: 978-9047630135

Arabic Folktales

It is no secret that I love traditional tales, myths and legends. For me, there is something really special about reading stories which have been enjoyed and treasured by those before us whatever their culture or where they live in the world. The similarities which can occur between stories from different places are fascinating and each new re-telling offers a different slant as each teller breathes a little of themselves into the telling. So I was delighted to discover this on one of my trips to Bath.

‘Arabic Folktales: The Three Brothers of Serendip and Other Stories’ is a beautifully presented book. The dust jacket is handsome enough, but the actual cover shows an explosion of the paper cut flowers which can be found throughout the book. Geertje Aalders, the master paper cutter responsible for the art work throughout the book, has greatly contributed to making this a very appealing book to be treasured. The title page of each story has a paper cut surround and further illustrations accompany each tale.

The author describes himself as a ‘sort of gatherer of tales’ who has tried to rewrite them in his own style, but encourages the reader to change elements as he says ‘stories are the best migrants and the finest travellers. Let these stories become your own.’ And this is a delightful collection with a story for every occasion. ‘Soup’ is a wonderful story about the importance of having enough love in your heart to help others whilst ‘The Man Who Was Never Satisfied’ teaches the importance of appreciating what you have. Many of these stories would be perfect to use as the starting point for an assembly or for sharing as part of a PSHE session as they contain wisdom a-plenty! However, the book would also make an excellent text for guided reading, allowing children time to discuss the stories and explore them further with the stories being short enough to allow a sense of satisfaction and achievement for those put off by longer texts.

Translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson, ‘Arabic Folktales’ is an essential collection for anyone who shares my delight in traditional stories and for anyone who hasn’t yet discovered just how delightful they can be!

Arabic Folktales:

The Three Princes of Serendip and Other Stories

Rodaan Al Galidi, translated by Laura Watkinson, illustrated by Geertje Aalders

Walker Books ISBN: 978-1529506006