SuitabookNaamah and the Ark at Night
Susan Campbell Bartoletti
- Reading
- Read it aloud slowly, allowing the repeated couplets and visual pauses to work. Look closely at how animals, water, silhouettes and the night sky are arranged, then explore the author’s note if questions arise about name, tradition or poetic form.
- Themes
- Comfort through song: Naamah sings through the night to soothe restless animals and people aboard the ark, including Noah and the family. The narrative gives Naamah’s singing a constructive, calming role and places her contribution at the heart of the retelling.
- Retelling a familiar tradition: The Noah’s Ark story is retold with Noah’s wife as the central figure, alongside an Arabic poetic structure and an author’s note about the name Naamah. The book offers information about its naming and poetic form while presenting a less commonly foregrounded figure within the familiar story.
- Worth knowing
- The flood and storm remain important background elements even though the presentation is soothing. The book also draws on a biblical story and an Arabic poetic structure, so families may wish to discuss how traditions and forms influence a retelling.