In the Land of the Crescent Moon, the walls have ears.
Azizi lives with Umma and Baba in a country ruled with an iron fist, whose leaders capture all the blue birds and lock them up in a white cage in the courtyard of their palace. While the rulers swell and bulge like hot air balloons, stuffing their stomachs from morning till night, the people shrink and suffer until they are almost invisible.
One day, when Azizi is no bigger than a pine nut in a glass of mint tea, a little blue bird escapes from the cage. Determined to live in fear no longer, Azizi and the little blue bird set out on a journey to free the people of their cruel and greedy rulers and bring peace to the land once more.
This contemporary fairy tale of freedom against oppression is inspired by the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia.
Children’s Book Council’s Hot Off the Press Selection October 2025
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Laïla Koubaa is an author of Tunisian and Flemish heritage. Her writing is inspired by the 2010 Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia that protested against corruption, poverty, and political repression. She lives in Flanders, Belgium.
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Mattias De Leeuw, known as the “Flemish Quentin Blake,” is a popular illustrator from Belgium known for his painterly drawings. His latest picture book has been named a Bachelder Honor Book 2024 by the American Library Association.
© Michiel Devijver
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David Colmer is an award-winning Australian writer and translator, mainly of Dutch-language literature. He translates novels, poetry and children’s literature and lives in Amsterdam with his family.
“De Leeuw’s scrabbly artwork, Quentin Blake–esque in stylish charm, lends a grounded whimsy to the piece, while jewel- and saffron-toned detailing evokes a distinct sense of place, serving up a visual feast. The result is a triumph. A lovely and empowering homage to real-life resistance.”
— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED
“Original, distinctively illustrated, imaginative, and a fun read from cover to cover, "Azizi and the Little Blue Bird" by author/storyteller Laila Koubaa and talented artist Mattias De Leeuw is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library Folktale/Fairytale picture book collections for children ages 5-10.”
— Midwest Book Review
“With the aforementioned gorgeous art, this is a powerful story about freedom and resistance.”
— School Library Journal
