Arts & Entertainment

Israeli Pop Star Coming to Concord

Rita Jahanforuz will appear at Barefoot Books this Saturday, March 9 to introduce her first children's book, 'Girl with a Brave Heart.'

 

Barefoot Books hosts its share of events, but not all of them feature international pop stars-turned-children’s book authors. 

At 10:30 a.m. this Saturday, the Thoreau Street bookstore will host its newest author, Rita Jahanforuz, a Iranian-born Israeli pop star considered to be a global ambassador of peace. 

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According to an event announcement, this rare stop in the United States will offer an introduction to “Girl with a Brave Heart,” the first children’s book by Rita—as she is known professionally. Guests will get to her about her life and experience growing up in Tehran, and children will also have the chance to make a Persian-inspired mosaic.

Jahanforuz’s book is illustrated by Vali Mintzi and has a target readership of children ages 4 to 10, according to a description on the Barefoot website.

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From the summary there:

Shiraz, a kindhearted young girl growing up in Tehran, has a miserable life at home with her stepmother and stepsister, who treat her like a servant. When the wind blows Shiraz’s ball of wool into the garden next door, she spends the day helping and caring for the old lady who lives there, with miraculous results. Then her stepmother sends her own daughter off on the same mission . . . but will the results be the same?

A feature in the Sunday Globe on March 3 described “Girl with a Brave Heart as having “Matisse-like” illustrations. “Rita Jahanforuz tells a tale with a poignant message: When people are sad and hurt, they do not always know how to ask for what they need,” the write-up says.

Jahanforuz’s Concord visit follows her March 5 ‘Tunes for Peace’ concert appearance at the UN General Assembly in New York, a special performance that seeks to build bridges, foster inter-cultural dialogue and connect people, the Barefoot promotion says.

“Barefoot Books is delighted to invite the community to meet its newest author, Rita Jahanforuz, a Tehran-born Israeli pop star who has cultivated a worldwide following as a global ambassador of peace, whose music aims to bridge cultures and geographic boundaries through universal values,” says the Barefoot Books announcement.


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