The Jasmine Sneeze

Haroun is content with his life in the city of Damascus. He only has one problem, he cannot stand the smell of jasmine, and there is a great deal of the stuff in Damascus. People love it. Haroun hatches a plan to mask the scent with some of his own favourite smelly things. Little does he realise how dismayed and distracted everyone will be by this, they even forget to give him his favourite treats. Even worse, he appears to have angered the jasmine spirit who seeks revenge by casting a spell on him so that jasmine starts growing out of his nose and he can’t stop sneezing.  Things are going from bad to worse for Haroun, eventually he realises living with jasmine in the city is the better option.

The Jasmine Sneeze is an enjoyable story told with humour and a touch of magic. A richly illustrated picturebook which evokes a sense of the sights, smells and culture of this ancient Syrian city providing, in the current context, a valuable alternative perspective.