A good deal of Lucine’s writing focuses on topics that have to do with her ethnic Armenian heritage. Doing so permits her to honor a culture that was nearly extinguished, and to share its beauty with the world.
Lucine Kasbarian — Perspectives from Exile
Edited by Todd Bartel
Published by the Thompson Gallery & the Cambridge School of Weston, MA
Perfect Bound Paperback, $24
ISBN to come
Ages 14 and up
Order here
“Kiss the Ground” is a six-part exhibition series that examines and celebrates contemporary Armenian art, one hundred years after the 1915 Armenian Genocide. The 6th exhibit and the 7th and final publication in the “Kiss the Ground” exhibition series, Perspectives from Exile examines the political cartoons of Lucine Kasbarian, whose work unflinchingly chronicles the intergovernmental relationship between Armenia, Turkey and the United States of America, the history of the Armenian Genocide, and the persistent denial of those crimes against humanity of over one hundred years ago.
Critical Reviews:
"Kasbarian’s political cartoons reaffirm the validity of the opinion of many critics of “modern” Turkey that the rulers’ mindset has not changed from that of the Ottomans and the Young Turks…This publication deserves wide distribution…"—Keghart.com.
Read more about this book here.
The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale
Retold by Lucine Kasbarian; Illustrated by Maria Zaikina
Marshall Cavendish Children, April 2011
Library binding, $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780761458210; ISBN-10: 0761458212; 32 pages
Ages 4-8
Contains full color illustrations (the art was rendered with layers of wax and oil paint, and then the layers were cut away to reveal the colors underneath); Author’s Note; Armenian proverb
A 2013 Nautilus Silver Award winner in the Children’s Picture Book category.
Chosen as an Honor Book in the 2012 Storytelling World Resources Awards
The Greedy Sparrow is an Armenian folktale that has been handed down orally in the author’s family for many generations. The tale has also been in the greater Armenian oral tradition for centuries. The story begins in old Armenia with a sparrow who catches a thorn in his foot. As he asks for help, he sets off an intriguing cycle of action that transports him through the Armenian countryside, encountering people engaged in traditional folkways. The Greedy Sparrow ends with a surprising twist and conveys moral messages about greed, selfishness, manipulation, and the use of one’s judgment.
Click here for press release (English).
Click here for press release (Armenian).
Click here for endorsements.
Click here for companion study guide.
The Greedy Sparrow is available for purchase through:
(Lucine strongly supports independent booksellers* and encourages you to buy through them.)
Critical Reviews:
“In Zaikina’s bold, folk-style illustrations, both characters and landscape are heavily outlined in black, and the characters’ dialogue is in speech balloons. Pictures are lightened with bright, textured colors (they were made with oil paint and layers of wax) and have an appealing, vigorous heft. Armenian folk attire and references to places in Armenia authenticate the tale. It’s a rhythmic read-aloud beginning readers can share.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Based on an Armenian fable Kasbarian heard from her family, this story about a trickster who is out-tricked is a good choice for reading aloud…The humor and action in the large, bright, black-lined print illustrations will appeal to young children, as will the triumph of kindness over cheating.”—Booklist
“Zaikina’s lost-wax illustrations resemble thick-lined woodcuts and adroitly portray events that might daunt modern readers, as when the bridegroom decides to slaughter the dolefully funny sheep for kebabs, or agrees to give up his bride to the sparrow–a scene in which the sparrow carries the sheep while flying is sure to draw laughs.”—Publishers Weekly
“The sparrow’s trade-ups involve leaving each of his gains for safekeeping with someone along the way who then ends up having to pay a forfeit…Zaikina’s expressive portrayals of both animal and human characters, rendered in bold outline and rich color, beautifully convey the tale’s goofy fun. Her use of wax and oil paint in a kind of scratchboard technique smartly blends folk and cartoon styles. Readers will comfortably savor the economical story elements.”—School Library Journal
“This classic Armenian fable (Crime never pays! is the lesson at the end) is retold to the accompaniment of richly chromatic, folkloric scenes by a Moscow native that bring to mind Ukrainian Easter eggs.”—ForeWord Reviews
Armenia: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People
By Lucine Kasbarian; Images by assorted photographers and illustrators
Dillon Press/Simon & Schuster, 1997
Library binding, $25.00
ISBN-13: 9780382394584; ISBN-10: 0382394585; 160 pages
Ages 9-12
Contains color map, more than 40 photos/illustrations, fast facts section, glossary, appendix and index
Chosen as one of the 1998 Bank Street Best Books of the Year
ARMENIA: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People offers a comprehensive introduction to the land, history and culture of the Armenian people in a condensed, easy-to-read format designed for both children and adults. Within 11 chapters, Armenia explores the origins and history of the Armenians, describes the geographical characteristics of the country, notes the achievements of pioneering Armenians, documents the events and evidence surrounding the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and describes what life is like in the country today. The book also includes pages of Armenian phrases and folk tales, authentic Armenian recipes, and addresses of foreign embassies and consulates. A full-color map and over 45 color photographs and illustrations further familiarize readers with the customs and practices in this foreign land. This installment in the “Discovering Our Heritage” series, published by Dillon Press/Silver Burdett of the Simon & Schuster Education Group, is designed to appeal to the lay population as well as to supplement social studies and multi-cultural studies programs on primary, secondary and undergraduate levels. Armenia and all other books in this series are intended to address a gap that exists pertaining to country studies for which Americans may possess little awareness. Armenia is also intended to familiarize young Americans of Armenian descent about the heritage of their ancestors, and even serve as a travel guide for anyone thinking about visiting Armenia.
Click here for press release.
Click here for endorsements.
Critical Reviews:
“The descendant of survivors of the 1915 Armenian Holocaust, Kasbarian devotes much attention to this horrific event that has until recently received too little coverage.”—Lyn Miller-Lachmann for Multicultural Review
“Beyond the consumer market, Armenia is sure to find shelf-space in schools and libraries as a rare research tool for the “middle-aged” student.”—Armenian International Magazine [AIM]
“This comprehensive introduction to Armenia past and present is informative and interesting.”—FACES magazine: People, Places and Cultures
“Kasbarian’s [book] is an easy read, augmented by striking photography, large type, a casual flow, and chapters which tend to cradle civilization through a discerning eye.”—Tom Vartabedian for The Armenian Weekly
“The first thing I noticed was the way Armenia made history – so often the subject of dry, turgid, massive tomes – a lively and uniquely interesting experience.”—Roben Torossian for The Armenian Reporter
“Armenia takes us closer to filling the void of mainstream educational materials addressing the history of Armenia and Armenians.”—Nicole Vartanian for Armenian Forum
“This supplementary reader for high school age students is excellent for all ages.”—Project SAVE News
Armenia is available for purchase through:
(Lucine strongly supports independent booksellers* and encourages you to buy through them.)
*Powell’s
Amazon
Magazines
April 2014
Features about Armenia and the Armenians
Edited by Arun Toké
Curated by Lucine Kasbarian
Skipping Stones Multicultural Children’s Magazine, April-June 2014
ISSN: 0899-529X, 36 pages, $7.00
Ages 8-16
Contains photos, drawings, map, essays, articles, poems and more.
In this issue, you can learn fast facts about Armenia; see photographs of the people, countryside and customs; and read about human experiences in Armenia and its diaspora. Aside from features about Armenia, this issue also addresses topics such as food security, nature, self-identity and women leaders.
Available through:
Skipping Stones Magazine.
The Armenian-Americans
Edited by Meg Chorlian
Consulting/Contributing Editors: Lucine Kasbarian and Gary Lind-Sinanian
Cobblestone Magazine, May 2000 issue
ISBN-10: 0382445104; $6.95 from publisher; 50 pages
Ages 9-14
Contains color map, more than 50 photos/illustrations, quizzes, puzzle, true & false brain tickler, recipe, cartoons, and more.
In this issue, you can learn about the history of Armenia, the reasons why the first Armenian immigrants came to the United States, and where they’ve established large communities. You can meet some famous Armenian Americans and read an interview with a second generation Armenian American. You can learn about the Armenian Genocide, see what it’s like to spend a day at an Armenian American elementary school, and discover what’s inside the Armenian Library and Museum of America. You can also find out how to play tavlou and try your hand (and your taste buds) at an Armenian specialty biscuit, choereg.
Click here for press release.
Click here for companion teacher/classroom study guide.
Click here to read a review from The Armenian Reporter International.
Available through:
Amazon.com
Newspapers
indyKids: A Free Paper for Free Kids
Contributing Writer/Editor of this issue: Lucine Kasbarian
IndyKids/ NYC Independent Media Center, issue #9, May/June 2007
Ages 9-12 and up
8 pages; contains: color map, more than 50 photos/illustrations, quizzes, puzzle, true & false brain tickler, recipe, cartoons, and more.
Armenian History and Culture
The May/June issue of indyKids, a bimonthly student newspaper, introduces 9-12 year-old readers to the Armenians. The paper features a profile of an Armenian-American student, an article about the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide, an item about slain journalist Hrant Dink, a book review, and an Armenian recipe. IndyKids was created by a group of activists, parents and teachers and NYC Indymedia to inform children about current news and world events from a progressive perspective and to inspire a passion for social justice and learning. The May/June issue is downloadable, and there is also a teacher’s guide that offers projects to complement each article. Single or mutiple hard copies of the issue are also available for teachers, students and families by contacting IndyKids at: info@indykids.org.
Click here for press release.
Click here for companion classroom study guide.
Available through:
Armenian History and Culture is available as a free, downloadable pdf from Indy Kids.
To read selected newspaper articles and political cartoons by Lucine, visit her article archive:
http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Lucine_Kasbarian
For more Armenian folk tale books, please check Lucine’s Library.
