Lucky Wednesdays’ Gum
Written by: Navid Seyed Ali Akbar
Illustrated by: Rashin Kheirieh
Publisher: Ofoq
Publication Date: 2015
Age Group: Pre-school
ISBN: 9786003531499
Size: 23.5 cm X 16 cm
Pages:24
◙Sample English text is available.
About the Book:
This is a beautifully woven tale of magic, optimism, and the contrast between children’s and adults’ worlds. The protagonist of the title is a little girl, who is not rich, does not live with her parents, her best friends are city cats, and not everyone is kind to her. The contrasting view between how she sees the world and how others do, has created such a unique tale of fantasy. The girl finds a pack of gum, which brings luck only in Wednesdays. She embarks upon the path to find out what day of the week it is, and encounters three grown-ups, busy with their mundane problems. None of them pays much attention to her question, but she uses her wishes to give them what they need. Suddenly, she realized that today is Wednesday, and that she has used all her wishes, given to her by the magical gum, on others without even knowing it. But she is not sad or disappointed, she goes to sleep, thinking about another tomorrow, and the simple life she has for her own. When we all imagine the possibility of granting our wishes, we, as humble as we might be, think of wild wishes and cannot get enough of it. But the main message of this title, unlike any other, is the simplicity of life and the intricacy of coincidence. Reading it, with its delicate illustrations, and very fluent language and narrative, can offer a different experience for children around the world.