The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest

Nasruddin Teaches the Town a Lesson; A Circle Round Book

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Pub Date 28 Jun 2022 | Archive Date 28 Jun 2022
Storey Publishing | Storey Publishing, LLC

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Description

The creators of the award-winning podcast Circle Round, produced by WBUR radio (Boston's NPR station), bring their beloved combination of folktales and storytelling activities to book form in the first branded Circle Round book series. Podcast host, Rebecca Sheir, has uncovered folktales from a broad range of traditions, all exploring timeless values, such as kindness, generosity, acceptance, and more. The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest, a story with roots in Turkey as well as several other cultures, explores the themes of superficiality and how misleading it can be to judge others by their appearance. The colorful illustrations of Turkish-born artist Mert Tugen complement Sheir's original adaptation of the story of Nasruddin and his clever way of awakening his community to the dangers of judging someone based solely on their outer appearance. Specially designed to be read aloud and shared, the story is accompanied by questions and prompts for conversation, along with creative storytelling activities developed by educator Melissa Taylor, creator of the popular website Imagination Soup. 

The creators of the award-winning podcast Circle Round, produced by WBUR radio (Boston's NPR station), bring their beloved combination of folktales and storytelling activities to book form in the...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781635863147
PRICE US$14.95 (USD)
PAGES 40

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Average rating from 37 members


Featured Reviews

This is a small booked packed with a powerful message! We loved the questions at the end and the games too!

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This is just such a cute book. Did my daughter ask me to read it again to her once again yes. This is such beautiful message. A person's inside is what counts, how they look, or dress does not make a person. If I could get away with feeding my pockets at all parties with certain family members to just teach them this lesson I would do it in a heartbeat. The art work is just stunning, the activities are so fun. Kids will love this book. Thank you so much for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. I can't wait to use it in a story time and help others learn this fabulous moral.

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This fable from the Middle East is given new life with bright, engaging illustrations, and an entertaining presentation by the host of the Circle Round podcast. Listeners who are familiar with the podcast will be excited to read the folktale with such vibrant illustrations.

The story has a fable-like quality, with a moral and a lesson at the end. The author does a great job of including extension activities such as readers theater, reader response, and crafts. This would be a great selection for a classroom or library as it offers so many more resources to build on.

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Thanks to Netgalley and the Storey Publishing, I was able to read "The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest". I love a good wholesome folktale and the author, Rebecca Sheir, did a beautiful job in sharing this folktale with us. Sheir brought "The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest" in such a way that children could easily understand the moral of the story. Love the details, the illustrations by Mert Tugen, are stunning and the use of colors is impactful. Another detail that was appreciated was that of providing comprehension and other activities to do once you finish reading the book, this was a bonus. Recommended for home and would be great for a Language Arts class.

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A fun and colorful retelling of a centuries old folktale. Nasruddin the wise man (and winemaker) is looking forward to going to the governor's banquet after working all day at his vineyard, but he loses track of time and doesn't have time to go home and change his clothes. When he shows up at the banquet, he's treated poorly and ignored by everyone (even though they're all drinking his wine!) because of what he's wearing. He goes home, bathes, and puts on his finest clothes, then returns to the banquet. This time, he's welcomed by all, and the governor invites him to sit next to her, and eat all he wants. What happens next is silly and fun enough to make kids laugh, but will teach them a good lesson too about judging others by their appearance. The illustrations throughout are delightful, filled with lots of color and detail, and really add a lot of action and whimsy to the tale. Following the story are various storytelling-related activities, including craft projects, creative writing projects, and discussion questions.

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I LOVED this book!

I loved the way it was written, loved the folktale, the illustrations and the activities at the end - everything about the book worked for me and I thought it was brilliant

I do love books that retell folktales and this one was great, the characters were brilliant, I loved how the story was told and the pace was spot on. It was easy to follow and understand too - a great book to read with children!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, no hesitation at all in giving it top marks!

it is a great book and there are plenty of added extras and food for thought (you will get the pun when you read the book!) - very highly recommended!!

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The Unwelcome Guest is about how people often make assumptions or preconceived notions of other people for numerous reasons-- in this case it would be that Nasruddin was judged unfairly for the way that he chose to dress and when he came back he was treated better from his peers.

I like how this book is teaching the younger generation how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and how it can affect the mindset of people regardless of how old you are.

I also liked how at the end Rebecca offered some questions to the audience so you are able to have a conversation with your child/children. I also liked how she included some activities for the child(ren) to do after they are finished with the book. I also loved the illustrations that Tugen did that were throughout the book. I can only imagine how stunning 'The Unwelcome Guest' would be in a hardcopy form rather than an electronic version!

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I loved this book and will be buying a copy for the classroom.

This is a traditional, Middle Eastern folktale presented in a very engaging way. The lively illustrations are beautiful and the extra touches add humour which will keep even reluctant readers engaged. I especially appreciated the multicultural feel of the characters along with traditional foods. This book definitely makes you think about why we shouldn’t judge on first impressions or appearance.

The extra activities would work well either at home or in a group setting and would inspire lots of creative play as well as meaningful discussions. This book deserves to become a children’s classic.

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The Unwelcome Guest by Rebecca Sheir represents a well known folktale in different light. The story revolves around an intelligent and humorous man known as Nasruddin who is looking forward to a grand banquet arranged by the Governor. Every single person of the town is invited and much to his delight, the governor will be serving Nasruddin's wine. Overwhelmed with excitement, Nasruddin forgets to keep track of time while working in vineyard. To avoid being late, he heads to the banquet in soiled clothes. He notices after sometime that surprisingly no one is paying him any attention and making an effort to stay away from him. All on a sudden, he comes to realize that people are judging him based on his appearance. As a master of wit and sarcasm, he teaches them in a bizarre yet comical way that dresses don't hold any power over our true personalities. The story is a sharp reminder that who we are from the inside is more important than our outfits and extravagant lifestyles. In addition to the powerful message, there are interesting and engaging activities at the end of the book that will help young souls take the message to heart and implement them in real life. Not to mention that the bright and detailed Illustrations by Mert Tugen are a feast for the eyes. To sum it up, The Unwelcome Guest is a funny, exciting and impactful story appropriate for people of all ages. Many many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

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A beautifully illustrated, playful story of manners, empathy, and hospitality based on a Turkish folklore. The story is simple and clear, while holding some wonderful linguistic choices and excellent interactive opportunities. The activities at the end of the book create a dialogue for caregivers and children to discuss the events and take the magic from the page into the word around them.

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This is a vibrant book and the illustrations are brilliant. Nasruddin arrived at the fest for everyone to be rude. Having been judged on his appearance. He went and changed this for these people. He then went to make a point to these people. This book teaches a valuable lesson

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A beautiful tale of how people can judge others and how the two-faced nature of people can be highlighted. This is a great story to use to discuss how we should view others and whether or not it's right to judge someone by their appearance. This is especially true for how the gentleman reacts and responds to their judgement.

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This book is absolutely fantastic! It is so engaging and warm. Even starting on the very first page, it feels like you are taking part in something. That you are entering an experience that is worth your while. And it definitely is! Can’t wait to buy this one and add it to the shelf!

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This book provides a great lesson for both children and adults alike. It is all too easy to judge and make assumptions based on someone's outward appearance, but we must try to not do that and instead focus on how someone behaves and treats others. Great illustrations as well and I like the extra activities at the end.

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