The Jasmine Sneeze

'Take a deep breath of The Jasmine Sneeze and you'll be transported to one of the world's most beautiful cities. There, you'll get caught up in Damascus' dense colours and patterns, as well as its light-hearted, sweet-smelling humour. A joy!' - Marcia Lynx Qualey, author of popular blog ArabLit; 'The Jasmine Sneeze is magically drawn and written by the brilliant Nadine Kaadan, capturing the true essence of Damascus through its mystical relationship with two of its longest standing residents, cats and jasmine. The smile of Damascus children is still there, still wide and gleaming, still visible to the rest of the world, despite all that's happening in the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth.' - Sami Moubayed, The Damascus History Foundation; 'A story of thoughtfulness, The Jasmine Sneeze is a delightful children's book that manages to capture perfectly what the Jasmine means to the people of Damascus. Children will be captured by the cheeky portrayal of Haroun, and those too young to read will be mesmerised by his antics.' - Noor Ahmed, Middle East Monitor; 'The Jasmine Sneeze is a funny, magical tale set in Damascus whose conclusion gently suggests that there is room for us all in this world and that tolerance will triumph ultimately. Really lovely book with scope for lots of rereadings!' - Guardian Witness; 'The Jasmine Sneeze is and 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.' - Sue McGonigle, Books for Keeps; 'Kaadan has the wonderful ability to weave her gorgeous watercolour illustrations and traditional aspects of Syrian life into a whimsical children's story that captures the essence of her hometown of Damascus.' - R. Sikora, Orient News; 'This enchanting story and delectable illustrations with their rich swirling colours and patterns on every page demonstrates Syria's long and proud cultural heritage at a time when it has been marred by five years of war.' - Outside In World; 'The Jasmine Sneeze is a fantastically vibrant read which takes the reader through a world of senses, accompanied by a comical cat... I haven't read such a satisfying picture book in a while.' - Evie Ioannidi, Not Now, Adulthood