When his vizier tells him that the fish that is jumping about on his dinner plate is a sign that his people are hungry, King Abbas disguises himself and sneaks out of his palace, in order to investigate on his own. Coming upon a trio of thieves with unusual powers—the ability to whistle a tune that can put anyone to sleep, eyes that can see through walls, a sneeze that can blow down any door—the king seemingly falls in with their plans, telling them that his own special power is the ability to secure their pardon, by wiggling his mustache. When the thieves are caught, this declaration saves them, and their skills are put to better use...

Based upon a Persian folktale related to her by her husband and father-in-law, author/illustrator Kristen Balouch's The King and the Thieves: A Persian Tale is an engaging and enjoyable picture-book. Although I have not encountered it before, the story itself felt very familiar to me, both because of its theme of a ruler discovering the importance of mercy, and because of the group of thieves with their extraordinary abilities. The latter reminded me of European stories such as The Six Servants, from the Brothers Grimm. I would have been interested to learn the better purpose toward which King Abbas put the thieves' talents, but the story doesn't cover that information. The artwork here, which has a collage/cut-paper style, was created digitally, and which was apparently inspired by Iranian pottery from Nishapur, has a fun quality, although I wouldn't describe it as a personal favorite, aesthetically speaking. I appreciated the inclusion of a brief note from the author, about the fact that King Abbas was a real, historical figure, but I would have liked some further information about the story, perhaps some sources. I realize she heard it from family, but I found myself wondering whether it had been written down anywhere else, and if so, where? Leaving that one quibble aside, this is one I would recommend to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to any picture-book readers seeking stories with a Persian/Iranian cultural background. ( )

King Abbas, a Persian king, loved to eat but always at his dinner alone. When his vizier tells him that there are hungry people in his kingdom, he disguises himself and leaves his castle to share food with the hungry. He runs into 3 poor men who are thieves. They trick the guards into falling asleep and rob the castle. The next day the king wants to arrest and punish the thieves but after some wise words from his vizier, he decides to show them mercy and allow them to stay with him in the castle to help him feed the kingdom. The king never has to eat alone again! This story is full of lively language. The illustrations look like a collage that helps give a different take on this folklore. This folklore is inspired by Persian folklore that has been passed down for years. ( )

A folk tale from Persia with a great but slightly foreign storyline. It's really interesting how folk tales we grew up with seem so normal but would likely be just as foreign to someone that had never heard the tale. The illustrations look like paper crafts and though they seem rough they really get across a personality in the story. ( )

The king is lonely and eats alone until he has a dilemma that forces him to seek companionship and address the starving people of his land but runs into the three thieves.

A folktale about a Persian King who dresses as a commoner to give food to people. One night while dressed as a commoner he comes across three thieves and hears them talking about their plan to steal from the king. He ends up saying he will help them but then tricks them and arrests them. They then remind him that he said he would set them free with the "twitch of his mustache" and so he decides to use the three thieves powers for good instead of evil. ( )