Kristen Balouch

When his vizier tells him that the fish that is jumping about on his dinner plate is a sign that his people are hungry, King Abbas disguises himself and sneaks out of his palace, in order to investigate on his own. Coming upon a trio of thieves with unusual powers—the ability to whistle a tune that can put anyone to sleep, eyes that can see through walls, a sneeze that can blow down any door—the king seemingly falls in with their plans, telling them that his own special power is the show more ability to secure their pardon, by wiggling his mustache. When the thieves are caught, this declaration saves them, and their skills are put to better use...

Based upon a Persian folktale related to her by her husband and father-in-law, author/illustrator Kristen Balouch's The King and the Thieves: A Persian Tale is an engaging and enjoyable picture-book. Although I have not encountered it before, the story itself felt very familiar to me, both because of its theme of a ruler discovering the importance of mercy, and because of the group of thieves with their extraordinary abilities. The latter reminded me of European stories such as The Six Servants, from the Brothers Grimm. I would have been interested to learn the better purpose toward which King Abbas put the thieves' talents, but the story doesn't cover that information. The artwork here, which has a collage/cut-paper style, was created digitally, and which was apparently inspired by Iranian pottery from Nishapur, has a fun quality, although I wouldn't describe it as a personal favorite, aesthetically speaking. I appreciated the inclusion of a brief note from the author, about the fact that King Abbas was a real, historical figure, but I would have liked some further information about the story, perhaps some sources. I realize she heard it from family, but I found myself wondering whether it had been written down anywhere else, and if so, where? Leaving that one quibble aside, this is one I would recommend to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to any picture-book readers seeking stories with a Persian/Iranian cultural background. show less

"Mystery Bottle"'s illustrations have such fine detail in them, it's hard not to stare at the pages for longer than any other children's book. Each page has a faint map in the background, putting an emphasis on the great lengths of travel mentioned in the book. There's also what appears to be Persian script hidden throughout the book, and when we get to page "and through the city" we see that Bailey has landed in Iran, according to the map in the background. Bolouch also takes the time to show more label each item in the illustrations, reflecting labels on maps. This all leads us to understand that Bailey's family lives far away in Iran, in a different culture from America. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book, they gave much more information than the words themselves gave! show less

This is a fun tale of an American boy who receives a "mystery bottle" from his Iranian grandfather which turns out to contain a magical wind that blows him to his grandfather's house for a visit. The whimsical tale takes a more touching turn as the last page and dust jacket reveal the inspiration for the story: The author's father-in-law put his son on a plane in 1978 just before the Iranian revolution, and was able to have only limited contact with him for years afterward.

The beautiful show more illustrations for this book won the 2007 Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. show less

King Abbas, a Persian king, loved to eat but always at his dinner alone. When his vizier tells him that there are hungry people in his kingdom, he disguises himself and leaves his castle to share food with the hungry. He runs into 3 poor men who are thieves. They trick the guards into falling asleep and rob the castle. The next day the king wants to arrest and punish the thieves but after some wise words from his vizier, he decides to show them mercy and allow them to stay with him in the show more castle to help him feed the kingdom. The king never has to eat alone again! This story is full of lively language. The illustrations look like a collage that helps give a different take on this folklore. This folklore is inspired by Persian folklore that has been passed down for years. show less