Meet Goha, that funny little man with the faithful donkey, whose tales, beloved for their wit and wisdom, have been passed down through the streets of the smallest villages of the Middle East for centuries. Meet Goha, who in making us laugh at him, shows us—young and old everywhere— that we can laugh at ourselves. Collected by one of the Middle East’s most prestigious translators and illustrated in whimsical handsewn khimeyas, this is a joyful celebration of the best of Goha, one of folklore’s most unexpected and beloved heroes. Starred Review. Grade 1-6–Goha, a folk character from the Middle East, is, by turns, a fool, a wise man, and a trickster in these 15 stories. Readers may find some tales familiar from other cultures, such as when Goha gets confused about whether he has 11 or 12 donkeys (depending on whether he is counting while astride or aside of one). Others are less well known, but equally entertaining, as in the tale of friends who try to convince Goha that they are expected for dinner. The protagonist turns the tables by selling their politely removed shoes to pay for the meal. An author's note describes the multiple countries laying claim to the character's origin and shows a photograph of the tentmakers in Cairo who designed and stitched the cloth illustrations, or khiyamiyas , for this book. Colorful caricatures are appliquéd onto a sand-colored background resembling linen; there is one for each tale. The stories contain interesting cultural insights about a part of the world unknown to many in the Western Hemisphere, while yielding universal truths. Although there is a variety of curricular possibilities, children would undoubtedly enjoy comparing this folk hero to his cousins Jack, Anansi, Coyote, or Brer Rabbit. And as a guidebook to survival strategies for challenging situations, there is none better. –Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. *Starred Review* Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. In this spirited collaboration, a Middle Eastern trickster-fool is strikingly presented to American children. Johnson-Davies, a translator of Arabic texts who lives in Cairo, provides succinct retellings of 15 "Goha stories," which have been illustrated by a team of Cairo tent makers in the form of traditional khiyamiya tapestries, with bits of bright, solid-colored fabric stitched to roughly woven, oatmeal-toned backgrounds. Many of the tales expose familiar human foibles, as when Goha repurchases his own mule after listening to a dealer's glowing, exaggerated sales pitch for the beast. Others amusingly illustrate wise principles ("In life, it is impossible to please everyone") that belie Goha's deceptively hapless ways. Adults concerned about the authenticity of the materials used to facilitate cross-cultural understanding will welcome this pairing of text and art, but the bold, elemental artwork will sell itself; each scene exudes a comical energy, concentrated around Goha's plump, wide-eyed form, that will instantly put kids in a giggling mood. Johnson-Davies doesn't identify sources, but an endnote explains the tent-making tradition in Cairo (including a wonderful photo of the artists at work) and gives a concise overview of the memorable character's role in numerous Middle Eastern cultures. Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "The stories contain interesting cultural insights about a part of the world unknown to many in the Western Hemisphere, while yielding universal truths. Although there is a variety of curricular possibilities, children would undoubtedly enjoy comparing this folk hero to his cousins Jack, Anansi, Coyote, or Brer Rabbit. And as a guidebook to survival strategies for challenging situations, there is none better." -School Library Journal, starred review "In this spirited collaboration, a Middle Eastern trickster-fool is strikingly presented to American children. [E]ach scene exudes a comical energy… that will instantly put kids in a giggling mood." —Booklist, starred review Denys Johnson-Davies lives in Cairo, Egypt. Ahmad Mohamed Hamed and Hag Hamdy Mohamed Fattouh live in Egypt.