Water
Where Does the Water Come From?
In the latest entry from the Children's International Series,
two boys in Tajikistan set out on a series of adventures to discover the source of the water that fills the irrigation canals on a daily basis. The story includes a myth called "The Tale of the Water" which tells the story of a seven-headed monster who tries to keep the water from the people of Tajikistan, and the brave young man who risks his life to slay the monster and restore water to the parched land. The story is filled with adventure, and at the same time, it teaches the children about the environment, about where water comes from, and the necessity of bringing water to a very dry climate.
Author:
Aminjon Khokjibaev, better known by his pen name Aminjon Shookuhi, is one of the most prominent Tajik writers of the twentieth century. He was born in the Republic of Tajikistan in 1923 and grew up in the village of Rumon, a few miles away from the ancient city of Khujand. Khujand is referred to by historians as Alexandria Eskhata, where Alexander the Great founded a Hellenistic settlement, while leading his troops into Central Asia. Aminjon Shookuhi made his debut as a young author in the late 1940’s. His poems are considered some of the best in modern Tajik poetry. He later became a novelist and dramatist, and his work also includes a libretto for an opera, as well as classic Persian poetry forms. Shokoohi wrote several collections of children’s poetry and later published his trilogy, known primarily by the title of its first book Where Does the Water Come From? The story, set in Shokoohi’s home village, represents a child’s inherent sense of curiosity and desire to explore. The story also teaches everyone about the delicate nature of our environment. Shookohi was granted the highly coveted Rudaki Award and after his death was named the National Writer of Tajikistan. Facilities and streets bear his name in Tajikistan, and his statue is set in the front yard of the school where he once studied.
Translators
Karim Khodjibaev, the author's son, is a professional linguist who works in the field of adult education and language research. Together with his wife and co-authors, he published a large volume Tajik-English Dictionary. Some of his early publications are related to the socio-political dynamics of Central Asia. Khodjibaev holds an M.A. in linguistics and is a certifiied translator and interpreter in several languages. Moukhabbat Khodjibaeva is the daughter-in-law of the author. She holds an M.A. in Cinema Arts and an M.S. in Information Technology. Moukhabbat works in the field of Eurasian studies and has written several articles dedicated to the history of women’s life in that area. Moukhabbat specializes in curriculum development and has contributed to several language projects in both Persian and Russian.
Illustrator
Jan Seabaugh holds a Ph.D. in Humanities, Studies in Literature from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jan is also the illustrator of Where Does the Water Come From? She teaches English and writing at St. Mary's University and translates Russian, French, and German. She lives in South Bend, Indiana, with her husband Alan.
ISBN 978-0-9740551-2-1
88 pages, full-color illustrations
$15.95
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