Yaffa and Fatima by Fawzia Gilani-Williams

Bear is undeniably big he is also a braggart, given to walking through the forest and proclaiming his superiority to all within earshot: “I can do anything! Yes, I can!” When he hears this, little Brown Squirrel challenges Bear to tell the sun not to rise the next day. 1498, etc.) teams up with his son, James ( Native American Games and Stories, not reviewed) to present a pourquoi tale from the East Coast Native American tradition. Noted storyteller Bruchac ( Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving, p. Gilani-Williams never distinctly references any conflict-in fact, even the Israeli setting is not specifically mentioned, only to call it the “Land of Milk and Honey.” But readers can tell, because differences very much define the women’s relationship, that they are overcoming some sort of obstacle in being friends.Ī subtle, visually arresting introduction to ethnic relations. The tones are carefully placed to distinguish the two women but are also included in ancillary details to begin to build a feeling of unity.

Those two colors, set against a neutral backdrop, lightly accent the women’s everyday surroundings as well. Fatima is clad in a burgundy hijab, while Jaffa has a deep teal headscarf. When Fatima sees Yaffa on the street, she waves and calls, “Salaam! Peace!” Yaffa waves back and calls, “Shalom! Peace!” The text becomes a list of differences between the two women. Yaffa and Fatima both own date groves right next door to each other. In this retelling of a tale rooted in both Jewish and Arab traditions, two neighbors are friends despite perceived religious tensions of the community.

Yaffa and Fatima by Fawzia Gilani-Williams