The Ghoul

by Taghreed Najjar (Author), Hassan Manasra (Illustrator)

A story about facing your fears and accepting differences, inspired by Arabic folk tales.

The villagers are afraid of the “Ghoul.” For years, they’ve tiptoed around the village for fear of disturbing it. The monster doesn’t look like them, and it is believed to eat humans.

One day, the brave Hassan embarks on a dangerous mission to face the long-feared Ghoul. When Hassan finally meets the Ghoul living on top of the mountain, he discovers that the Ghoul is just as terrified of people as they are of him. Hassan and the Ghoul realize that they can still be friends, despite their differences.

A beautifully illustrated story that can be used as a springboard to discuss how we perceive those who are different and how our fears and prejudices may be built on false assumptions.

About the Author

Taghreed Najjar is a former teacher and considered the pioneer of modern children’s literature in the Arab world. She has published 65 books, both for children and young adults. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, including Turkish, English and French.

She was on the White Ravens’ list twice, in 1998 for The Ghoul and in 2014 for Why Not? In 2019 she was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for her work.

Praise for The Ghoul

“The story is a good reminder of the nature of fear and the misunderstandings created by false and unwarranted assumptions about those whom we perceive as the ‘other.’ It is also sobering to be confronted with the idea that we can actually be perceived as monstrous, too, and our insularity feeds off that notion even further … I loved the narrative … I was deeply taken by the art, too.” —Gathering Books

"The villagers live in terror (tiptoeing around, speaking only in whispers) despite the ghoul never having harmed a soul. Later, the ghoul is quick to conclude, ‘it is true that you look strange and different, but you are nice.’ The artwork is colorful, lively, and evocative, with stylized faces. Manasra makes excellent and engaging use of the page, from full-page bleeds to action-packed panels … the message is sincere and the book is a very welcome representation of a traditional Arab tale.” —School Library Journal

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crocodile Books;  2019
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1623719258
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 8 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.4 x 11 inches