Riding a Donkey Backwards: Wise and Foolish Tales of Mulla Nasruddin by Khayaal Theatre Company, Sean Taylor, Shirin Adl
Published by Candlewick Press on August 13, 2019
ISBN: 1536205079
Pages: 48
Genres: Folklore
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Twenty-one classic trickster tales about a much-loved character from Muslim cultures. Nasruddin is the wisest man in the village and also the biggest fool. School Library Journal describes the tales this way: “The simple, clipped narrations are witty and conversational in tone,” and I would agree. Fun stories to readaloud. I have mixed feelings about the illustrations. The mixed photo collages are sometimes fun and other times a bit freaky. Then there is one page that is a drawn storyboard rather than a collage????? However odd, the stories in this fun book is wonderful to introduce kids to another culture and folk hero. And why is he “riding the donkey backwards?” “What are you talking about? I’m facing forward. It is the donkey who’s facing backwards!”

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library