Haroun, the cat, likes nothing better than to spend his days sleeping in the sunlit courtyards of Damascus. But one thing always ruins his sleep: jasmine! The sweet-scented flowers send him into fits of sneezes! One day, Haroun hatches a plan to fix the problem, but little does he know that the Jasmine Spirit who watches over the city has a trick of her own up her sleeve . . . A beautifully-illustrated and entertaining story that sheds a welcome light onto Syria’s long and proud cultural heritage in a period of history marred by war.
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Nadine is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator from Syria now living in the United Kingdom. Nadine’s work with young refugees in mitigating post-conflict trauma has captured the attention of CNN and the BBC, both of which have broadcast special features on her books Tomorrow and The Jasmine Sneeze. She has been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal, and is the 2019 winner of the Arab British Centre Award for Culture. Nadine was selected as one of The BBC 100 Women 2020’s ‘most influential and inspiring women’, and was featured on their BBC 100 Women masterclass.
“A funny, magical tale whose conclusion gently suggests that there is room for us all in this world”
-Guardian Witness
“You’ll get caught up in Damascus’ dense colours and patterns, as well as its light-hearted, sweet-smelling humour. A joy!”
-ArabLit
“Children will be captured by the cheeky portrayal of Haroun, and those too young to read will be mesmerised by his antics on the pages”
-Middle East Monitor