Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love

By Rashin Kheiriyeh. NorthSouth Books, 2024. 40 pages. $19.95/hardcover. Recommended for ages 4–8.

When Bethan (10) and I opened the package to reveal a copy of Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love, we said in delighted unison, “Wow!” and immediately became entranced by the brilliantly colored cover. An exotic garden of flowers and birds surrounds the ecstatic figure of a Sufi boy, in a whirling white robe and tall cone-shaped red hat. His name, Rumi, glows in shining gold. We discussed pictures, text, and content of this narrative nonfiction title, which was published for the 750th anniversary of Rumi’s death.

In the pictures, award-winning Iranian American artist Rashin Kheiriyeh uses color that is rich and vibrant to create powerful and exciting imagery. Bethan felt she could understand the story from the pictures alone. Facial expressions indicate emotions. We enjoyed following such visual themes and figures as birds and a black cat. As I try to identify a stringed instrument, I learn about Persian music. The end papers, which display gorgeous pictures of fantastic flowers, invite entry to the imagined world of Rumi’s childhood in the Persian empire of the thirteenth century (then part of Iran, now part of Afghanistan).

The illustrator Kheiriyeh also wrote the text, which consists of short paragraphs that my ten-year-old friend could read easily. Vocabulary is carefully chosen. Bethan noted that the text stands out clearly, never swallowed by the ebullient illustrations.

The story’s content starts in this way: “It began with a leaf yellow and orange falling from the tree.” This poetic version of “Once upon a time” leads to the birth of Rumi on September 30, 1207, and continues up to old age. Throughout he has success and distress, achievement and loss.

In addition to Rumi’s life, there are tales from Persian mythology. Bethan and I were fascinated by the Sīmurgh, which means “Thirty Birds” in Persian. We kept counting small birds pictured in the form of the great bird. The tale is a parable about cooperation. It also represents “the Sufis’ full knowledge of themselves spiritually and physically.” Remembering this tale at a time of loss helps Rumi understand how to overcome his sadness. In a vivid dream about his mother, he learns that he should write stories. She tells him: “Share your stories of friendship with everyone you love.” He is led to create “his poetic masterpiece” the Masnavi.

Bethan likes books that give the reader facts without trying—not “snappy facts,” as she calls them; and she thinks this book does well in this regard. I agree that information is skillfully embedded, so I was able to learn about Rumi without trying: we learned while immersed in the beauty and ideas of the book. The last pages include an author’s note with additional information.

Rumi “found peace in writing,” and equally important, he dances “to thank God.” The last picture shows Rumi dancing and “[c]hildren danced with him.” The penultimate page depicts Rumi reading from a book that shows the title on one side of the cover in English and on the opposite side in Farsi. Rumi is surrounded by children, flowers, a bird, and the black cat. “‘Sit, be still, and listen,’ Rumi said. The children sat quietly and listened carefully. ‘Once upon a time . . .’” It could be a Quaker meeting. The publisher recommends Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love for ages 4–8. We recommend the book to individuals, families, and meetings, and believe it is especially suited for those aged 6–10.

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Margaret Crompton (Britain Yearly Meeting) wrote Pendle Hill pamphlet 419, Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Well-Being (2012). Recent publications include poems, short stories, and plays. Bethan writes poems, and she has contributed to three previous Friends Journal reviews: Desmond Gets Free (2022), Room for More (2023), and Maple and Rosemary (2023).