Another beautiful legend of how equality, skill and intelligence triumph over their opposites. The stylized art is lovely too. ( )

This was a FANTASTIC Armenian folktale retold about a prince and a weaver woman he fell in love with. He was useless and lazy and she demanded he better himself and learn a trade before she would marry him. When he is kidnapped she winds up rescuing him (because of course she had learned how to ride and fight because that is what rulers need to know in case of danger!) The nod to education and non-traditional gender roles was great! Aside from using it to expose children to diverse folklore, I would use this to discuss theme/moral (because it was so great!). I might do a bit of research on my own, because looking at the illustrations, and the talk about caravans, this makes me think of Middle Eastern places. Armenia is right next to Turkey I think. Is it a heavily Islamic country? If so, how strange for a strong, independent female character. This discussion would be more appropriate for maybe upper middle school or high school, but could be very interesting. The UNO library system lists:
Reading Level: 4.6 Interest Level: K-3
I disagree with the interest level. Again, I feel like folklore has a much broader interest range. I collect folklore and folktales from around the world. ( )

Taken from the Armenian tradition, Robert D. San Souci's A Weave of Words follows the story of Prince Varchagan, a hunting-mad young man with no time for book-learning, until he meets and falls in love with Anait, a scholarly weaver's daughter who informs him that she will not consent to marry him until he learns to read and write, and masters a craft. After all, fortunes can change, and even a prince can fall on hard times! Spurred on by his love, Varchagan accomplishes all that Anait asks, becoming a poet and a master carpet-weaver, and winning his desired bride. Anait, in her turn, teaches herself horsemanship and swordplay, in order to better help in leading the country, should circumstances demand it. When rumors reach Varchagan and Anait, now king and queen, of travelers disappearing in the east, and Varchagan goes to investigate, both of these sets of skills prove essential, in defeating one of the monstrous devs...

This outstanding picture-book is a winner on so many levels, it's difficult to know where to begin! I understand that, in the original Armenian versions, it is simply called Anait, and that seems appropriate to me, as the heroine of this story not only determines and sets in motion the hero's "quest" (Varchagan's efforts to become literate, and to learn a skill), but she also rides out to rescue him, when he falls into the hands of a monster, slaying said monster in the process. I simply loved the fact that in this story, unlike many fairy-tales I have read, it is the royal partner who must change and grow, rather than the "common" one. I loved that Anait was free to refuse Varchagan, even though he was the prince, and I loved the nature of the tasks she sets him, if he will have her as a bride: after all, what book-loving woman wants an illiterate as a mate, even if he is royal? I also loved that Anait herself needed to gain new skills, in taking up her new responsibilities as a ruler (and I loved that she was a ruler, at least in part, rather than some kind of decoration). Finally, I loved the way in which these newly acquired skills, on both of their parts, are what allow them to triumph in the end, with Varchagan working a clever message into his carpet, and Anait leading the troops to rescue him.

That's a lot of loving, obviously! This story was wonderful, and I will be tracking down every title listed in San Souci's introductory note. The artwork by Raul Colón was also outstanding, with a lovely expressive quality that lends itself both to the thoughtful scenes, and to the more action-driven ones. All in all, a fabulous book, one I recommend to anyone who enjoys folktales, particularly those with strong female characters. ( )

Prince has to learn how to read and write, and a handcraft. Princess learns to slay monsters. What's not to like, if you're a four-year-old boy? ( )

I know that this will be lost on kids, but I was absolutely fascinated with the information given in the very front of the book, listing the source materials the author used for the story, and the traditional Armenian and Russian folktale characters he borrowed for the story. For example, the "dev" is a traditional "bad guy", a three-headed ogre. But the story is one of love, bravery, and oddly enough, the suggestion that learning a trade, and learning to read, is a valuable thing! And that is something that is very good for students. I really liked this short touching story.