The One and Only Rumi

The young life of poet Rumi (1207–1273) is disrupted by the invasion of Genghis Khan’s army in this picture book history starring a boy known as Muhammad. Poetic prose by York describes the family’s escape, as Manouchehri depicts gathered horses and camels against dark gradients. Told no when asking about going back home, Muhammad observes that birds leave and return; his father advises that some birds “make homes wherever they go./ And they never stop singing.” That hopefulness infuses the family’s story as they take comfort in their togetherness and music. When Muhammad finally settles into a new home with his parents, he comprehends that “friends—both feathered and human—/ were everywhere to be found.” Stylized, nature-infused ink and acrylic full-page artwork radiates in tones as bright as Rumi’s much-beloved words. A creator’s note adds context about Rumi’s birth in Afghanistan’s “classical ‘borders,’ ” Persian writing, and later life in Turkey. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)