The Jasmine Sneeze

By Nadine Kaadan

A magical tale set in the jasmine-scented courtyards of Damascus, Syria.

Haroun, the cat, likes nothing better than to spend his days sleeping in the sunlit courtyards of Damascus. Yet one thing always ruins his sleep: jasmine! The sweet-scented flowers send him into fits of sneezes! One day, Haroun hatches a plan to fix the problem, but little does he know that the Jasmine Spirit has a trick or two up her sleeve...

A sweet and entertaining story that sheds a welcome light onto Syria's long and proud cultural heritage in a period of history marred by war.

“A funny, magical tale whose conclusion gently suggests that there is room for us all in this world”—Guardian Witness

“You’ll get caught up in Damascus’ dense colors and patterns, as well as its light-hearted, sweet-smelling humor. A joy!”—ArabLit

“Children will be captured by the cheeky portrayal of Haroun, and those too young to read will be mesmerized by his antics on the pages”—Middle East Monitor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Jun 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781911373001

Nadine Kaadan

Nadine Kaadan is an award-winning author-illustrator from Syria. She writes stories inspired by Syria's rich cultural heritage and is committed to helping child refugees in Europe and the Middle East.

Book preview

Reviews for The Jasmine Sneeze

[pardamustang · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Jasmine Sneeze by Nadine Kaadan tells the story of Haroun, a sassy cat living in Damascus, Syria. Haroun loves to take naps around the city. What he doesn't like is the smell of jasmine. It makes him sneeze. Haroun takes it upon himself to eradicate the jasmine from the city. Little does he know, but the Jasmine Spirit has a thing or two to say about that! Hilarious hijinks ensue!My cubs and I enjoyed reading this quirky story. Gorgeous art accompanied the tale. I love the scent of jasmine, but I did so feel for Haroun! It's reasonable to try and get rid of allergens, no matter how sweet they smell. Great addition to any child’s library. ***Many thanks to Netgalley and Myrick Marketing & Media for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Haroun the cat does not like the smell of Jasmine, it makes him sneeze. He comes up with a rather interesting way to spoil the smell. The Jasmine Fairy is just as creative when she punishes him for what he has done. Children will love at the results of Haroun's situation. The illustrations are bright and fun and very detailed. They support and enhance the storyline, especially the colours used and how they portray the mood of the story. There are wonderful details in the back that offer more information about Jasmine, Damascus and the historical context of the story that add more for older readers. This is a nice way to see another side to Syria than what is portrayed on the news. This would make a great addition to a school or class library especially in the multi-cultural content. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via netgalley.