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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Silver Falls Library | JP HEIDE | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Library | ELEM FIC HEI | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... McMinnville Public Library | Heide | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Woodburn Public Library | E HEIDE | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
A young Egyptian boy describes the city of Cairo as he goes about his daily work and waits for the evening to share a special surprise with his family.
Author Notes
Florence Parry Heide was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 27, 1919. She studied at Wilson College before transferring to the University of California at Los Angeles, where she received a B.A. in English. She worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. She moved to Wisconsin with her husband after the war and started writing books at the age of 48. She wrote or co-wrote over 100 children's books including the Treehorn series, Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl who Floated, and The One and Only Marigold. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Alex B. Allen and Jamie McDonald.
Heide received numerous awards and honors including having The Shrinking of Treehorn named by the New York Times as the Best Illustrated Children's Book of 1971 and winning the Jugendbuchpreis for the Best Children's Book of Germany in 1977; The Day of Ahmed's Secret received the Editors' Choice Award from Booklist in 1991, and Sami and the Time of the Troubles received the Editors' Choice Award from Booklist in 1992. She died on October 24, 2011 at the age of 92.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Ahmed has monumental news to share with his family, but first he must complete the age-old duties of a butagaz boy, delivering cooking gas to customers all over Cairo. The juxtapo sition of old and new is a repeated theme in Heide and Gilliland's thought ful story of a young boy living in the bustling metropolis surrounded by thousand-year-old walls and buildings. His philosophical musings as he steers his donkey cart on his appointed rounds could be those of any youngster, living in any age, waiting for the appropriate moment to share his special secret. En hanced by Lewin's distinguished pho torealistic watercolors, the sights, sounds, and smells of the exotic setting come to life. Sweeping double-page spreads reveal the sun-bleached streets, pedestrians bearing all manner of bundles, and colorful market stalls. At home at last, surrounded by his lov ing family, Ahmed demonstrates his newly acquired facility, proudly writing his name in Arabic. Life goes on in the hectic, noisy cities of the world regard less of a day's news and yet, the bound less energy and promise of youth rein force the ideal that anything is possible. Ahmed's story is a joyful celebration of that spirit.--Luann Toth, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this admirable introduction to life in an alien culture, readers are whisked to the busy streets of Cairo--where young Ahmed is making his daily rounds on a donkey cart, delivering large canisters of butane gas. The city is presented through his eyes, and text and illustration work together in harmony to produce a sense of place so vivid that readers can almost hear the cry of vendors in the crowded marketplace and feel the heat rising from the streets. On this particular day, Ahmed carries a secret with him (he has learned to write his name in Arabic), one children will enjoy trying to guess. The authors have produced fluid prose, and Lewin's sensitive, luminous watercolors hint at the mystery and timelessness of this exotic city. Ages 6-9. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
As young Ahmed goes about his work delivering tanks of butane gas, guarding his secret, the reader receives a tour of the streets and bazaars of Cairo. At the end of the day Ahmed shyly divulges his secret: he has learned to write his name. The skillful, fluid illustrations capture the city's bustle and activity. From HORN BOOK 1990, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
All day, as he does a man's work--delivering bottles of water to customers in his native Cairo--Ahmed (pictured as nine or ten) treasures a secret. As he and his donkey make their way through the noisy, crowded streets, getting food from a handdrawn cart, he remembers his father's advice (""I close my eyes and have my quiet time. . .'If there are no quiet spaces in your head, it fills with noise,' he has told me . . .'Hurry to grow strong. . .but do not hurry to grow old'""). Ahmed is proud to relieve his tired father of a heavy task--and prouder still, that night, to share his secret with his family: he has learned to write his name. Skillfully, the authors use the secret to sustain suspense--in what is primarily a child's-eye portrait of modern Cairo--and to highlight the significance of Ahmed's poignant joy in his accomplishment. Lewin's warm, expansive double-spread watercolors capture both subtleties of character and the city's rich diversity. A handsome, affectionate book. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Ages 5-8. This exceptionally vivid picture book is as noteworthy for what it implies as for what it says. Set in Egypt, it introduces a young boy named Ahmed, whose job is to deliver canisters of bottled gas to customers for their cook stoves. He's proud that he is now strong enough to do the work, thus relieving some of his father's labors and contributing to the family income. Ahmed's narrative describes the sights and sounds of Cairo as he makes his rounds with his donkey and cart. He's excited today, for he has a special secret to tell his family. At the book's end, readers see him proudly show his family that he can write his name. Lewin's watercolor illustrations are a tour de force in their depiction of busy, light-drenched streets, dim interiors, and riveting faces. They extend the sensory images of Ahmed's narrative to create an exotic, bustling world where poverty is taken for granted but dignity remains. Perceptive readers will be left to contemplate what life must be like for a young boy who works hard all day, has no schooling, and for whom learning to write his name is a singular accomplishment. Yet the text betrays no condescension toward its subject; the slice of life displayed here speaks matter-of-factly for itself. A quiet book that nevertheless projects a powerful presence, this will push both browsers and students to broaden their world view. --Denise Wilms