The Storyteller of Damascus

An anonymous young narrator recounts hearing a traveling storyteller’s tale of Sami, a determined shepherd who stands up to an angry father, bests gangsters, milks a lioness, and risks imprisonment to marry his true love, Leyla. The troubadour’s wonder chest reveals the story’s images to listening children; as they fade over time, he replaces them with modern advertisements, including toothpaste and car promotions. The beautiful Leyla becomes Colgate, the quest for Lioness Milk involves picking up a can at the “health food store across the street,” and the tale becomes “weirder and weirder, more and more unbelievable.” When the storyteller returns after a two-year absence, his chest “no longer had wands or picture rolls,” but the narrator still sees within it Sami, “a boy who was more beautiful than the moon and braver than a panther.” Rich, detailed art by Knorr showcases the story’s marked evolution and the storyteller’s magical box as Schami invites readers to explore the power of storytelling and change in this artful picture book. Ages 6–9. [em](Nov.) [/em]