The Jasmine Sneeze

Story

Haroun, the cat, loves to while away his days sleeping in the warm, Damascus sunshine. But his favourite pastime is interrupted by the sweet scent of the jasmine plant, which always sets him off sneezing. He comes up with a plan to spoil the smell, but unfortunately in doing so he angers the elusive Jasmine Spirit!

Why we chose it

A beautifully told and illustrated story that evokes the scents and sights and culture of the ancient Syrian city of Damascus.

Where it came from

Nadine Kaadan (1985 -) was born in Paris, grew up in Syria and now lives with her husband in London. Though her stories, steeped in the rich heritage of the Arab culture, she aims to encourage a love of reading amongst Arab children. The Jasmine Sneeze is her first book written in English.

Where it went next

Nadine’s work with young refugees has captured the attention of CNN and the BBC, both of which broadcast special features on her books Tomorrow and The Jasmine Sneeze. In 2017, Nadine was selected by the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration to represent Syria with her artwork from The Jasmine Sneeze. And in 2019 she won the Arab British Centre Award for Culture.

Associated stories

Nadine has published 15 picture books in Arabic, including Answer Me, Leila - a story dedicated to children with hearing impairment, and Tomorrow which has been translated into English from Arabic. Tomorrow, which details the daily life of a little boy during the Syrian conflict, was also shortlisted for The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award in 2019