UTA JARA
Laya und die Löwen
(Laya and the Lions)
Illustrated by Alireza Hashempour
A poetic book about arriving in a new country,
about migration and resilience
… and about the special gaze that brings stone lions to life
Richly illustrated
Age 6 and older
“Laya und die Löwen” (“Laya and the Lions“)
is about a little refugee girl arriving in a new country,
and about what helps her
to eventually befriend her new place.
At the same time, the book is about universal experiences:
The story invites us
to experience the reawakening joy
of exploring and discovering,
the healing, transformative power of imagination,
and our innate magic and resilience.
Original German edition:
UTA JARA
Laya und die Löwen
Illustriert von
Alireza Hashempour
Stuttgart: das blaue A, 2022
ISBN: 978-3-9823934-1-4
16,80 €
216 x 280 mm, 68 pages
Hardcover, thread stitching
Character count
(incl. spaces): 31.639
»… told with sensitivity, […] poetic and heartening …«
“Luftballon – Elternzeitung”, a magazin for parents
»Books like this have the capacity to bring forth processes
of regeneration that benefit the individual as well as the community.«
Horst Rettich, founder and artistic director of “atelierblau”, an inclusive atelier,
and of an art academy for refugee children
»”Laya and the Lions” opens our eyes and touches our hearts.«
Julia Rempel, founder and CEO of “JulesBox”, a creativity box for children
If you are interested in the foreign rights to this book,
an English and an Italian translation,
both by professional translators,
can be provided.
For any questions concerning foreign rights,
please get in touch with the publishing house “das blaue A”:
www.das-blaue-A.de
If you are interested in publishing this book in Asia,
please contact “Litobooks”,
the agency kindly representing my work there:
www.litobooks.com
Information about the illustrator
can be found on the website of the publishing house "das blaue A".
You will find the corresponding page
A book about arriving in a new country,
about longing and courage,
about a girl for whom stone lions come alive,
and about an adventure full of danger and beauty.
”Laya and the Lions” is about a girl who, after fleeing her war-torn country,
arrives in a new, cold and wet city.
At first the only ones with whom Laya speaks are the stone lions of the city.
They guide Laya through the streets and to interesting spots,
helping her discover not only this new place, but also her own inner strength.
But before she can begin to accept this new city, she must find her best friend Nila,
whom she misses very much and who might still be in her home country.
Can the one-winged lion help Laya to find Nila?
And with this question begins a dangerous and wonderful adventure …
»… multilayered and expressive […],
delicately interweaving the inner and outer world,
as only children can ...
Extraordinary!«
Dr. Christoph Sievers,
pediatrician