This illustration from my picture book Never Say A Mean Word Again (Wisdom Tales Press, 2014, written by Jacqueline Jules) shows one of the final scenes in the story, with the two main characters happily playing marbles together. Based on a legend that dates back over a thousand years, this medieval tale features a clumsy Jewish boy named Samuel and a short-tempered Arab boy name Hamsa. Both are the sons of important officials in the palace of Cordoba, hailing from “the Golden Age” of Spain when Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived in harmony together. That harmony is disrupted when the two boys – and their character flaws – literally collide in the palace courtyard. Though it is Hamsa who bursts out with anger, it is innocent, bumbling Samuel who is charged by his father, the grand vizier, to take responsibility for the altercation. The rest of the story is all about Samuel’s childish tactics to fulfill his father’s order to “see to it that Hamsa never says a mean word to you again.”
What fun to illustrate Samuel’s clumsy efforts to force his adversary to treat him right! He tries gagging Hamsa with a strip of cloth so he cannot utter an insult; training a monkey to clamp his mouth shut; puckering his mouth with a lemon; and forcing him to apologize in writing. These silly strategies fail, but bring the boys together enough for both to realize they’d rather have a friend than an enemy. By the end of the story, Samuel and Hamsa have become best buddies.
I filled this book with decorative borders and icons from medieval Spain. From fountains to archways, from tiles to tapestries, the possibilities were endless – I had to restrain myself, as there wasn’t enough space in the book to use all my ideas. The cover design shows one such design, the basic form of which is inspired by an ancient mosaic:
Working on this book planted all kinds of seeds in my mind for future art. I was especially drawn to medieval illuminated manuscripts, and even ended up writing a book review of a stunning coffee table book on that subject. I also delved into the life of Samuel HaNagid (993-1056 CE), from whom the legend that inspired the book originated. Nagid was a Talmudic scholar, grammarian, philologist, poet, warrior, and statesman – and for two decades the grand vizier to the caliphate of Granada. What an extraordinary person!
In retelling the story for children, author Jacqueline Jules cleverly split Nagid into two characters: father and son. Thus, the wisdom of the elder becomes a teaching tale for the younger.
For its message of non-violent conflict resolution, Never Say A Mean Word Again won seven awards:
Chosen as an Honor Book in the 2015 Sydney Taylor Book Awards, “Younger Reader” category (sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries)
Finalist of the 2014 National Jewish Book Awards in the category “Illustrated Children’s Books” (sponsored by the Jewish Book Council)
Honorable Mention in the “Picture Book” category of the 2014 Middle East Book Awards
Recipient of a 2014 Aesop Accolade, awarded by the Children’s Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society
Finalist in the “Children’s Picture Book: Hardcover Fiction” category of The USA “Best Books 2014” Awards, sponsored by USA Book News
Selected as one of 10 “Best Spiritual Children’s Books” of 2014 by Spirituality & Practice (www.spiritualityandpractice.com)
Honor Award in the 2015 Skipping Stones Honor Awards, in the category “Multicultural & International Books”
For this particular illustration – which predates AI by a decade – I had to research (by old-fashioned means) what marbles were like a thousand years ago. Curiously, they were made of clay, and would only be either the color of terra-cotta, or white. The colors of clothing were important, too. The orange and ultramarine blue worn by these two characters continued well into the Renaissance as popular colors for fabric.
You can order a signed copy of Never Say A Mean Word Again here.
A good week to all!
D. Yael Bernhard
https://dyaelbernhard.com
Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!