The 2025 White Ravens Catalog, compiled by the International Youth Library (Internationale Jugendbibliothek, IJB) in Tehran-Munich, includes five notable works by Iranian authors.
The selection includes books such as The Marvelous Zippy Whiz Cub Academy, The Stars Laugh in Blue, A Sun in the Turkmen Sahra, The Wandering Coffin, and Siyagalesh, the Forest Guardian.
In the catalog’s foreword, International Youth Library Director Christiane Rabe expressed her enthusiasm for the 2025 edition of The White Ravens, a rare annual list of the best children’s and young adult books from around the world.
Mr. Raabe highlighted the important role of publishers, institutions, authors and illustrators from around the world, saying that their generous support in providing review copies made this publication possible.
The 2025 list includes 215 notable titles from 63 countries and 49 languages, reflecting a diversity of voices, themes, and innovative approaches. The selection process involves a dedicated team of experts who review thousands of donated books, focusing on literary quality, visual impact, and relevance.
This catalog aims to promote international excellence in children’s literature, foster cross-cultural understanding and inspire young readers around the world.
Written by Payam Ebrahimi and illustrated by Ghazaleh Biderow, The Marvelous Zippy Whiz Cub Academy is a vibrant story set in a vibrant jungle where parents of various animals work hard to secure certificates for their children. However, they all struggle to understand the true meaning of these honors. At Zippy Whiz Cub Academy, principals implement a standard curriculum and encourage all students to master the same skills, regardless of their natural abilities. This raises the question: can fish really learn to fly, or can turtles run fast?
The Stars Laugh in Blue is an elegant and evocative collection of poems by Saffola Nayeri that explores the inner worlds of teenagers, capturing the quiet beauty found in their emotions, dreams, and everyday moments. Each poem invites readers to slow down, reflect, and connect more deeply with the world around them and the often overlooked landscape of their own thoughts and emotions.
Recurring symbols such as rain, birds, gardens, and stars evoke a sense of longing and curiosity, creating a tapestry that is both intimately personal and universally relatable. Illustrated by Salime Babacan, this book’s gentle and expressive illustrations beautifully complement the tone of the poem and add visual warmth and subtlety to the reading experience.
Written by Yusef Kujak and illustrated by Nazira Mahdavi-Ashraf, “Sunshine of the Turkmen Sahara” immerses the reader in the simple and heartfelt world of the Turkmen girl Aylar and the troubles of her innocent childhood. Her peaceful life is shattered when she tells a small lie to an elderly neighbor. Driven by guilt, she finds herself unable to weave carpets as she used to.
With the support of her mother and the women of the village, Aylar learns valuable lessons about honesty and kindness. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Iran’s Turkmen Sahara, this story brings to life a world rich in color, tradition, and quiet resilience. Each page resembles a woven carpet, a beautiful tribute to the artistry and strength of the Turkmen people.
The Wandering Coffin, written by Hamidreza Shahabadi, is a multi-layered and captivating novel that deftly combines elements of fantasy, horror, and historical fiction, set against the backdrop of the Qajar dynasty. The story is about Samad, a medical student in Tehran who goes on a dangerous journey to deliver a mysterious corpse (hidden in a dresser) to a medical school in Tabriz for his anatomy class.
As the journey unfolds, it takes a dark and dangerous turn, and Samad becomes embroiled in a series of tense and suspenseful events that captivate him from the first page. Along the way, he faces terrifying external threats, including supernatural beings such as demons and spirits, as well as his own buried fears and painful memories. These harrowing experiences lead him to self-discovery and personal growth.
Siyagaresh, Guardian of the Forest, written by Mohammadreza Shams and illustrated by Parvin Heydarizadeh, is inspired by northern Iranian folklore about a legendary figure known as Siyagaresh, the nomadic guardian of cattle and sheep. Siyagaresh, who lives deep in the forest, protects wild animals and punishes those who harm them. This story is a reimagining of traditional characters in a modern setting. Siyagaresh is always willing to help animals in trouble, but one day he gets caught in a trap set by a hunter. But this time, it’s the animals who come to his rescue.
The book also introduces readers to Iran’s rich biodiversity and diverse native animal species, highlighting the importance of protecting the country’s natural ecosystems.
The White Ravens catalog – a treasure trove of literary discoveries – serves as a compass through the vast children’s book market for publishers, libraries, literary festivals, international booksellers and agents, as well as anyone interested in international children’s books.
Photo: This combined photo shows the cover of a Persian book selected for the 2025 White Ravens catalog.
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