Samir And The High King

Long, long ago in a land at the edge of a desert that howls against the walls of the village, a poor young boy named Samir is sent to work for a strange old man who stays up all night listening to the stars. In his curiosity to find out why, Samir stumbles upon a secret and is swept up in an epic journey across the ancient world. It is up to him and his brother Hamdan - with a lot of help from Munira, the camel - to deliver a very special treasure to a king and perhaps rescue their land from disaster. Can they overcome thieves and a sandstorm to reach their destination in time?

This imaginative reconstruction of the tale of the Magi will appeal to children aged five and over, and draws on real astronomical research into the real Christmas Star. The story is set in the ancient Middle East, in which region the author lived for many years - although at a much later date, of course!