Book Review of Areni and the Man with the Right Shoe
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The Children’s Book Review
Areni and the Man with the Right Shoe
Written by Loucia Isaac Seropian
Ages: 6-9 | 97 Pages
Publisher: Loucia Isaac Seropian (2024) | ISBN: 978-9939-0-5042-3
What to Expect: Friendship, problem-solving, positive thinking
This enchanting tale takes readers on a journey to the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan, where ancient artifacts tell stories of love and craftsmanship. Written by an experienced storyteller in children’s literacy and youth media, the narrative weaves a symbolic, never-before-told story surrounding the discovery of the world’s oldest shoe, making Armenia’s rich heritage accessible to young readers worldwide.
Areni is the pride of her village, and she is renowned for her role in upholding her family’s long history and tradition of winemaking. When a young archeologist arrives during the wine-pressing festival one day, Areni is proud to show him her family’s history, buried in the cave known as Areni-1. As she teaches him about the ancient artifacts kept safe in the cave, the two young people fall in love. Areni’s father gives his blessing, and the lovers part, full of excitement for their future together. However, fate has other plans for the young archeologist, who meets a sad fate on his way home to break the news to his parents. Full of grief, Areni nevertheless holds on to one hope—burying his remaining shoe in Areni-1. Areni knows that just like the artifacts he loved to discover, the shoe will mean that her love will never be forgotten by future generations.
The main character, Areni, is appealingly independent and yet illustrates respect for family and authority, while readers are sure to sympathize with and appreciate the archeologist’s bravery in choosing to follow his own path. The story uses both adventure and mystery to stimulate readers’ interest in history, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s present through knowledge of the past. The book is illustrated throughout with real-life photographs of the historical artifacts and cultural traditions described in the story, helping readers connect the narrative to real Armenian history. The simple vocabulary combined with long-form text and complex sentences makes this an excellent choice for readers transitioning to chapter-book reading, more advanced readers, and, as the author intended, a coffee table book.
Areni and the Man with the Right Shoe is a highly instructive exploration of Armenian tradition.
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About the Author
Loucia Isaac Seropian began her PR and Communications career in 1999, handling the Public Relations of Haigazian University in Beirut, Lebanon (Haigazian University is the only Armenian university in the diaspora, founded in 1955).
In 2004, Loucia moved to Doha, Qatar, where she was worked on the launch of two Pan-Arab children’s TV channels: Barem TV Channel and Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, now known as Jeem TV.
Loucia was also responsible for Qatar Debate’s PR and communication plan for the World School Debating Championship 2010 (WSDC 2010) as the Strategic Communications manager. WSDC is the world’s largest debating tournament and one of the largest annual international student events. It is a parliamentary debating event held using a variant of the British Parliamentary Debate format. Her expertise in public relations extended to working on the national information communication technology e-campaign with ICTQatar (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology) as well as the state-of-the-art hospitality initiatives integrated within the Qatar National Convention Center.
In her most recent role in Doha, Loucia served as the communication consultant for Qatar Primary Material Company (QPMC), the arm responsible for maintaining a strategic stockpile of raw materials in the country.
Today, Loucia has been an active contributor to children’s literature. Loucia Isaac Seropian is best known for The Legacy of The Running Lavash, To The One-in-a-Million Festival and Back, and Friends in Wonderland.
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