Little Black Fish may be small, but he has big questions and a determination to find answers to them. While his fellow fish are too scared to do anything different from their set routine, Little Black Fish swims over the edge of the pool, into the stream and river which will show him much more of the world. He meets wonders and adventures, dangers and beauty. He makes it all the way to the sea, and finds his answers. Even though he doesn t survive to tell his own story, here it is being told to another generation, and the inspiration of it is passed on.--from the publisher
48 pages 978-1910328194 Ages 5-9
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"The Little Black Fish" is the work of Samad Beh-Rang (Behrangi), a writer from Azerbaijan-Iran. The Little Black Fish, unhappy with a life without any aspiration or purpose, embarks on an eye-opening journey with the spirit of a dreamer experiencing an awakening and the prospects of the deeds he would perform, but in the process he does more than that. The path leads him to wisdom, courage, awareness and study of complex social relations. The actions of small fish thinking pathetically only about their lives, and those of The Little Black Fish saving the tiny fish before saving himself are remarkable manifestations of human behavior when their actions are put to test. The story of The Little Black Fish is a revelation not just an experience. It is about stepping outside the confides of a self-centered life, drawing a distinction between the wandering and the stationary. It has a pedagogic value with numerous underlying political messages and shows a path to freedom, equality and justice, with a simple analogy for the younger readers to understand. The goal of The Little Black Fish is to fulfill his ultimate quest: "How will my life or death impact the lives of others?" Once he has identified the problem he sets a goal to look for solutions. From this point on the path is carefully laid-out as he moves on: making connections, assuming leadership, planning, fulfilling the plan and continuing the quest until the goal has been reached.--from the publisher
32 pages 978-1438913995 Ages 5-8
Editor's Note: This is a classic in Persian (Iran) children's literature.
For more information on banned books from children's literature around the world visit GlobalLiteratureinLibrariesInitiative.com
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This bilingual edition includes the English translation and the original Persian text of Little Black Fish. It is one of the most well known modern Persian children's story. Upon its original publication this story won prizes at the Bologna and Bratislava children's books fairs. On the surface this story is about a little black fish who wanders out of his neighborhood and encounters various adventures and dangers, which he overcomes. On a different level it can be read as the human journey from childhood to adulthood.--from the publisher
