Taghreed Najjar

A young boy named Hasan grows tired of the restrictions put upon him and the other children of his village in this Jordanian picture-book, and begins to question the adults about the fearsome ghoul said to live on the nearby mountaintop. Determined not to be afraid, he announces that he will travel to the mountaintop and confront the ghoul, but when he finally reaches his destination, he makes a surprise discovery: this supposed monster is just as afraid of humans, as they are of him...

Originally published in Arabic as الغول, and translated into English this past year (2020) for the Northampton, Massachusetts-based publisher, Crocodile Books, The Ghoul is the third picture-book I have read from author Taghreed Najjar, after her Watermelon Madness and My Brother and Me. She is the first Jordanian children's author I have encountered, and I'm glad her work is being translated into English. The story here is engaging, and explores the classic themes of fear and prejudice, as the people in Hasan's village shun the ghoul, believing every bad story they have heard of him, despite never having had any interaction with him themselves. The resolution of the story offers a hopeful answer to this situation, suggesting that people of different backgrounds can learn to become friends, if they give one another a chance. The accompanying artwork from Hassan Manasra, who apparently has a background in animated film, is quite expressive, ably capturing the emotional state of the various characters. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about intercommunity friendship and tolerance, or for children's books from Jordan and/or the wider Arab world.… (meer)