Song of the Old City

by Anna Pellicioli, Merve Atilgan (Illustrator)

Overview

This lyrical, whimsical picture book, set in the old city of Istanbul, celebrates kindness and generosity of spirit.

Follow one little girl on her busy day through the old city of Istanbul--from the Galata bridge to the Grand Bazaar--as the city opens its arms to her. All along the way, the generous people she meets share many gifts with her: sesame rounds, hot tea, a boat ride, rose candy, pomegranate juice, even a scrub in a Turkish bath! But she doesn't just keep the gifts for herself. At every turn, she finds a way to share what has been given to her and pass it on so others can enjoy it too.

With poetic text and radiant artwork, author Anna Pellicioli and Turkish illustrator Merve Atilgan bring us this heartwarming tale of kindness and generosity in the city known as the crossroads of the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781524741051
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/17/2020
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Lexile:	AD840L (what's this?)
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Anna Pellicioli was born in Italy, the third of five children. She has lived in eight different countries, including Turkey, and is still moving around with her husband, sons, daughter, and dog. She loves mornings, snow, and wild places. Song of the Old City is her debut picture book.

Merve Atilgan is a Turkish illustrator and artist, living and working in Istanbul. She has worked in animation and post-production studios as an illustrator and art director, but she's a free spirit, so she decided to be a freelance illustrator. She has illustrated a number of kids' books in several countries and gives workshops for children at art museums. Follow her on Instagram @mervmee.

Editorial Reviews

10/26/2020

A child absorbs the sights and sounds of “a very old city filled with boats, people, prayers, and hot tea.” Lyrical second-person prose by Pellicioli (Where You End) opens at the oceanside, as the pale child throws a “gasping,” just-caught fish back into the water: “You’re afraid the fisherman/ will be angry,” but he’s not. He pats the child on the head and introduces a woman who sells simit—sesame rounds. Via a loose, linked narrative, a boat ride, pomegranate juice, a trip through the spice bazaar, and a trip to the public bath follow. In digital spreads, Turkish artist Atilgan gives the characters upbeat, animation-style friendliness, while picking out the city’s patterns and visual rhythms in a palette of warm red, rich brown, and robin’s egg blue. Everywhere, people greet the wandering child, offering sweets and kindnesses. This string of experiences lulls like a dream in this hymn to a city and its experiential offerings. Ages 3–7. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Poetic, almost songlike . . . Bursting with life." —Kirkus Reviews

"The text has a calming bedtime-story flavor . . . Atilgan’s digital art accentuates the peaceful tone, displaying scenes of comfort and bliss . . . The pay-it-forward message is sweet and well implemented." —BCCB

"Warm and breezy . . . Instills a sense of hospitality and possibility." —School Library Journal

"Lulls like a dream . . . [A] hymn to a city and its experiential offerings." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

11/01/2020

PreS-Gr 1—In a modern folktale that requires an old-fashioned suspension of disbelief, a little girl has a whirlwind adventure in Istanbul's old city that introduces her to some of its sights, sounds, tastes, and many kindnesses. The nameless child, who has peach skin and brown hair, meets friendly people who offer her delicious tea, crunchy simit, sweet pomegranate juice, and some of the exciting snacks of the Spice Bazaar. She explores the city from high to low, taking to seas, rooftops, bridges, and even a bathhouse with a sweet-faced older woman. Along the way, the girl shares her treats and the story of her day with the people she meets, and offers her gratitude. The second-person narration referring to the girl as "you" draws readers into her experiences. Adding to this intimate feel are the lovely digital illustrations, which feature bold reds and teals on a predominantly white background accompanied by lots of texture and patterns, all of which create a warm and breezy atmosphere. Adult readers may want to remind impressionable young listeners about stranger danger. While readers unfamiliar with Istanbul may not get a broader sense of the city from this adventure, it certainly instills a sense of hospitality and possibility and will certainly pique curious minds to learn more. VERDICT A necessary purchase where books that highlight kindness, exploration, and wonder are in demand.—Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Lib. Syst., Bellport, NY

School Library Journal

2020-09-15
A day in the life of a young girl in the ancient city of Istanbul.

When life gives you “a flapping fish,” your day is sure to be an interesting one. The plucky protagonist, leery of hurting the creature, throws it back into the sea and continues on her way. Along that way, she meets all manner of people and receives all manner of gifts, which she then bestows on others: simit from a street vendor, tea and treats, a song and a story, a warm bath. The final gift, a song from the city itself, is one she keeps eagerly for herself. In today’s prematurely cynical world, it might be easy to write off the unwavering, indulgent generosity of the city dwellers as contrived, idealized romanticization. But to do so would be to spit on the magic this simple story weaves. Pellicioli has obviously done her research, suffusing her whirlwind tour of Istanbul with a great deal of genuine local color. Specific settings such as the Galata Bridge and the nearby Spice Bazaar situate the story in place while leaving it refreshingly untethered in time. The text is poetic, almost songlike, but sits small and unassuming on pages bursting with life in Atilgan’s whimsical illustrations. Figures are gently canted at bizarre angles, all flyaway hair and shadowed faces. Colors are soft and warm, adding to the timeless feel. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 53.8% of actual size.)

Quietly beautiful and charmingly quixotic. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews