TEHRAN – Iranian children’s writer Ali Khodai’s book “Look at This Way” (“Bir De Böyle Bak”) has recently been published in Turkish.

Nar, a major children’s book publishing house in Istanbul, is the publisher of the book translated into Turkish by Milad Salmani.

The publisher acquired the right to Turkish translation of the book during the 32nd Tehran International Book Fair.

“Look at This Way” tells the story of animals that stumble upon an abstract picture in the heart of a jungle. Each animal finds its own image in the picture. However, several events cause them to change their minds.

The original book was published in 2017 by the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults.

An English rendition of the book by Siamak Mazlumi was released in 2018.

The University of Science and Technology of China Press has acquired the rights to the Chinese version of the book. The agreement to publish the Chinese version of the book was negotiated during the 24th Beijing International Book Fair in August 2017, but the IIDCYA and the Chinese publisher have finalized the deal in 2018.

Khodai is also a skilful illustrator. The IIDCYA has previously published Iranian writer Ebrahim Qadrdan’s “The Little Key” with illustrations by Khodai. This book has also been published in English.     

In 2016, he was honored with the Flying Turtle Award in the illustration section for his works in the book “Are You a Stork or a Woodpecker”.

The Book City Institute and Pajuheshnameh, a Persian periodical on children’s literary publications, are the co-founders of the Flying Turtle Awards.

Veteran children’s writer Farhad Hassanzadeh’s “A Careless Mouse” illustrated by Khodai was published by the IIDCYA in February 2020.

Photo: Front cover of the Turkish translation of Iranian writer Ali Khodai’s book “Look at This Way”.

MMS/YAW