Djemma Bider

When Anayida quarrels with her two brothers over the lunch table, her mother advises her not to let "trifles spoil her day," but the young Armenian girl stubbornly refuses to relent. Sulking at the table, she falls asleep, dreaming of a trip to the market, for the ingredients to make baklava. When a single drop of honey attracts a bee, and the bee a cat, the chain of events set in motion lead to disaster - a lesson Anayida takes to heart, when she wakes up...

I was curious, while reading A Drop of Honey, whether the framing story of Anayida was part of the folktale, or just the dream sequence at the market, information not available anywhere in the book. In either case, this a fairly engaging story, although I didn't think it the equal of Bider's other folkloric retelling, The Buried Treasure. The soft, pastel illustrations by Armen Kojoyian are appealing, although his faces were a little too blurry for my taste. All in all, a book I would recommend primarily to readers with a strong interest in Armenian folklore and children's literature.… (mehr)

A wise old man, aware that his sons were lazy and thoughtless, informed the three of them on his deathbed that he had buried a great treasure in his garden - a treasure that was theirs for the taking, if they could find it. After burying their father with all honor, the brothers proceeded to dig up every inch of his garden. Their uncle, happening upon them, suggested that they not waste their effort, and - since they had already been digging - plant some seeds. And so began a gradual process whereby they learned to enjoy their work, to appreciate the bounty it produced, and to know and value the true "treasure" that lay buried in the earth...

I have run across variants of this tale from other traditions, but The Buried Treasure may be my favorite retelling yet! Djemma Bider's engaging narrative reads well, while Debra Carter's artwork - with its deep color, decorative borders, and somewhat stylized composition - is a pleasure to behold. The only criticism I could make, is that Bider did not list her source, and described her tale as being from the "Caucasus Mountains." Which is all very well, but there are dozens of ethnic groups living in the region, and I would have liked to know from which specific tradition this story comes. Leaving that aside, I highly recommend this little gem to all folklore lovers, particularly those who appreciate beautiful picture-books!… (mehr)