"There was something wrong with Little Black Fish. He ached with longing to go beyond the stream, and to discover for himself what might be there. ... 'I must swim beyond the stream. I want to see if the stream goes on and on, or whether it comes to an end."
Everyone in this part of the stream warns Little Black Fish against the ridiculous, dangerous and unnecessary idea of leaving. Little Black Fish tells his mother: "Perhaps there is more to life, and perhaps the world is more than our stream.' (No) 'Our stream is the world!' said his mother." Finally Little Black fish takes the plunge and and he slides down the waterfall. His journey has begun and, yes, the is a world beyond his home. He meets other creatures such as tadpoles, a frog, a crab and a shepherd boy with his sheep. A lizard warns him about the dangers that will be ahead - especially the danger of pelicans and later the danger of seabirds.
The lizard kindly gives Little Black Fish a small knife which he explains can be used to cut his way out of the pelican's pouch.
"The more that Little Black Fish found out about the world, the more he realised that it was a dangerous as well as a beautiful place."
I am not going to share the ending because it is sure to shock you and lead to some very interesting discussions with your reading companion or senior Primary class.
Publisher blurb Tiny Owl: 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.
In 2012 I attended the IBBY Congress in London. In one of the concurrent sessions the presenter Rosana Faría from Venezuela (illustrator of The Black Book of Colours) talked about her book Jacaraca, Perereca och Tiririca which she described as: An examination of the process of illustrating a story by Brazilian author Ana Maria Machado which resonated with the situation in Venezuela, a country which received immigrants in the 19th & 20th centuries and is now experiencing emigration. The story shows that strength is in unity and perseverance. This session has lingered with me all these years later because Rosana astonished me when she explained how this book was actually a way to share a very powerful political message and how proud she was that the government authorities had not detected this. Her book could so easily have been banned but it was dismissed as a simple children's book - and therefore harmless!
When I ordered and received The Little Black Fish I thought again about Rosana's book. The Little Black Fish could also be viewed as a simple fable for children but in this case Samad Behrangi's book written in 1968, did come to the attention of the authorities in Iran and it was banned but today it is one of their most famous children's books. I know the banning of books is a shocking thing but in this instance I am cheering because it shows this is not just a children's book - it can a powerful device with an important and a message!
Here is a quote from the final pages of The Little Black Fish:
" First published in 1968, The Little Black Fish was written and read as a allegory for a nation in which is was dangerous to dare to be politically different. The book was banned in pre-revolutionary Iran. The simplicity of a 'children's story' about a fish daring to mix with other kids of creatures and other ways of life, offers a useful case for discussion by all ages about the big questions at the heart of political debate. Meanwhile, younger children will engage with the more individual experience of Little Black Fish. Would they dare go against what their protective mothers tell them? Can that ever be a good idea? The dangers are clear in this story, but so too are the rewards. Can they imagine what it was like for Little Black Fish, seeing new creatures and places for the first time? Being attacked and making new friends?"
You can see more art from this book here on Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast. And take a look at the book trailer from Tiny Owl.
About the author and illustrator: Samad Behrangi was an Azeri teacher born in Tabriz. He collected folk tales and wrote tales for children in Azeri, Turkish and Persian. He was one of Iran's most influential authors and teachers. His tragically early death, rumoured to have been ordered by the Iranian government, has given him a legendary status. Farshid Mesghali is an Iranian animator, graphic designer, illustrator, animator and writer. In 1974, he received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal for his "lasting contribution" as a children's illustrator.
At long last, books beloved by Iranian children can be enjoyed by children. ... It’s a book is about freedom, confinement, human possibility. Like all the best picture books, it is both simple and profound. David Almond
Here is the cover from Iran:
No comments:
Post a Comment