Description
…I do not remember when I saw one of Nasser Ovissi’s paintings for the first time, but I remember how I felt about them. His paintings take me somewhere in a far country, where there are no words.
My life with Kayla, my five years old daughter, has been a big story which contains thousands of short stories. I mean, for every single act in our daily life, I need to make up a short story for her to move on, otherwise we can get stuck. One afternoon while showing her Nasser Ovissi’s paintings, I found myself making up a story for her based on the images. I found out that each painting is a part of a story. I saw a harmony in his paintings that tied them all together. The whole was like a symphony, yet each of them an individual note. A symphony, the symphony of life itself!
I found his phone number and I called him. I told him that I was going to write a story for children based on his paintings. Nasser Ovissi, a world-famous painter, invited me to his gallery without any hesitation to talk about my project. He is a very humble person who actively encourages creativity in others.
Nader Naderpoor, a contemporary Iranian poet, describes Nasser Ovissi very beautifully. He wrote, “Ovissi is the painter of adulthood dreams and childhood storytelling. There is a similarity between our adulthood dreams and childhood storytelling.” This was the connection that I discovered the day I was showing his paintings to Kayla.
Ovissi has a heart as beautiful and colorful as the flowers he paints, and as big as the women’s wide eyes. If you have any feelings for his paintings, try traveling into them as I did. This story is a part of my own journey in the world of his colors.
Forouzan H. Grigsby
Forouzan Hezaveh Grigsby was born in Tehran, Iran, during the last monarchial government (Pahlavi dynasty) followed by a revolution and a war. She grew up in a family which nourished a rich Persian culture and various classical literature. Books were her favorite gifts to receive. She loved to travel through the stories that he read for her when gazing at the moon and stars of the vivid night skies of Tehran.
Yuliya Shulman
…Nicely illustrated story with a beautiful message. This is a must read for every kid and adult in today’s modern and fast-paced world. In a world that we have forgotten the meaning of simplicity and we are constantly looking for something extraordinary in order to find happiness and peace. This book reminds us that the meaning of life glows in the zenith of simplicity…
— Tara Safakish, Associate Director, Quality
…This heartwarming tale was written for the author’s daughter. It has many sweet messages of learning and growth as the young Kayla goes on an adventure in search of beauty, sparked by a collection of beautiful images portrayed in rich colors by a Persian artist. As young readers follow along with Kayla, accompanied by a bird and a horse, they will share in her journey of discoveries…
— Jo Leonard, Author
…What I like about the book is how it shows Kayla’s perspective through her everyday life and also different kind of friendships…
— Maya Bayat, 7th grade student
…The vividness of Ovissi’s paintings are echoed in the words of the author. The story weaves a journey through the artist’s work and takes the readers on a fantastic trip…
— Michelle Unadkat, Piano teacher
…The Adventures of Kayla Kimia was quite the treat for our household! Full of wonderful, imaginative illustrations and a story that is sure to provoke joy in every heart, this adventure-filled story is fit for children and adults of every walk of life. It is one of those books that you never really forget, where the illustrations become a permanent part of your imagination, the kind of book that you treasure for all of your life! We also appreciated that the message of the book was one of love and growth, beauty and simplicity, qualities that have become all too uncommon in today’s mainstream storytelling…
— David G, Amazon Customer
…The Adventures of Kayla Kimia took me to a journey which was ageless. A very honest, simple and deep journey. I felt a nostalgia at first, like drifting apart from myself. Then the nostalgia turned to a feeling of connection. The book reminds me about “The Little Prince” which is simple but really deep. I keep it on my coffee table. I get inspired by the story and the vibrant paintings each time that I go through the pages. I wonder if the author has written any other book. This book absolutely will make a very beautiful and special Xmas gift to my friends and families…
— Parisa Sanginmanesh
…Working with young children in the public library setting, I am always on the lookout for new and original works. This book is a fresh look at life’s adventures through a child’s eyes. Add in the rich culture of Persia and the stunningly beautiful art and you are in for a treat. The beautiful language and art of storytelling by Forouzan will transport you to another time and place. I cannot wait to read it again… and to add it to my Storytime sessions…
— Kate and Jim
…This book is a must-read for kids, adolescents and adults alike. it takes the reader on a refreshing, simple yet superb journey which is a much-needed pause in today’s hectic world. The magnificent work of art that accompanies the storyline is a feast for the eyes. Highly recommend enjoying this book…
— Poopak Raisdana
…This new but truly timeless, intimate Persian tale is for adults and children alike. Raised in Iran during two distinct political and cultural eras, this new author’s book reminded me of Rumi and also of Michelangelo seeing the sculpture of his David in stone before it was ever created or unveiled. Humbly she weaves an enchantment from artist Nasser Ovicci’s significant, mysterious and beautiful paintings combined with a maternal love and creative engagement with her 5 year old daughter, Kayla, resulting in a wondrous heart-opening spiritual tapestry of hope for all humanity. Destined to be an international classic, I found it to be deep and yet simple in its truth-telling about life’s biggest challenges—while growing up and waking up, dreams and reality, love and fear, darkness and pain—all, in fact, that the human heart touched by the divine must come to terms with. I highly recommend this book, its story and art, as a poignant perfection of Light and Sound, Color and Life, and I hope for—and look forward to—future life adventures of Kayla and her friends as she grows and her heart continues to awaken in the delightful vision of her mother, the author. Thank you for sharing the secret of beauties…
— Paul A. Finch