Yusuf’s adventures · Book 01 · Ages 8–12

An Adventure in Baghdad

A lost notebook.
Who is telling the truth?

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Illustrated Edition sample · No sign-up needed

An Adventure in Baghdad — Portrait front cover

An Adventure in Baghdad — Actual final portrait pages · view 1

An Adventure in Baghdad — Illustrative photograph · Portrait coffee table

An Adventure in Baghdad — Illustrative photograph · Portrait mother son reading

An Adventure in Baghdad — Portrait back cover

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Books at home, shared reading and finished pages. Photographs are illustrative; chapter samples show the exact text.

Give your child a front-row seat to the wonders of Abbasid Baghdad: a richly illustrated mystery where a curious boy discovers that doing the right thing can be an adventure of its own.

Illustrated chapter fiction Honesty & responsibility

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An Adventure in Baghdad open on a coffee table

The story

One lost notebook.
So much more to uncover.

When eleven-year-old Yusuf finds a notebook beside the Tigris, he is eager to return it. A man knows its blue cover and even a drawing inside. Surely it must be his? Baba is not convinced. Together, father and son must discover the truth before the notebook reaches the wrong hands.

Follow Yusuf and Baba from the papermaking workshop into a city alive with boats, booksellers and unexpected encounters. Look for the details with Yusuf. Weigh the claims. And keep turning the pages as a simple act of kindness becomes a search for the truth.

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The Illustrated Edition

A bigger canvas.
A world to linger in.

Look a little closer. Discover a little more. Let the pictures carry you there.

The complete adventure in a full-colour hardback, with sweeping illustrations and details worth coming back to. Share a grand scene, follow a familiar face and pause over the little discoveries tucked into the page.

Enjoy generous facing-page scenes in A4 portrait, or wide panoramas in A4 landscape. A book to open together, give with love and return to as they grow.

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An Adventure in Baghdad Illustrated Edition open on a sunlit coffee table

Illustrative photographs of the Illustrated Edition. Open the chapter sample for the exact text and page layouts.

History with a human heart

Let the past become
a place they can picture.

The story opens in Baghdad in 795 CE, during the reign of Harun al-Rashid. Through Yusuf’s eyes, the Abbasid city becomes a world of work, family, learning and discovery.

An illustrated window into the historical world of An Adventure in Baghdad

A city around a river

The Tigris carries boats, travellers and goods through the story. Its busy banks invite children to imagine the connections that made a great city possible.

The life behind the landmarks

Grand gateways and the famous Round City share the page with workshops, markets and shaded courtyards. There is wonder in the everyday as well as the extraordinary.

Paper, books and curious minds

Yusuf’s father is a papermaker. His craft, a bookseller’s knowledge and the pages of a lost notebook give children a vivid way into a world of making and learning.

Original historical fiction: Yusuf and his adventures are imagined, and the illustrated settings are creative reconstructions.

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Rooted in Islamic values

A story about honesty.
And the courage to slow down.

Yusuf wants to help. But a convincing answer is not always the right one. As he listens, notices and learns to question his first impressions, honesty, patience and responsibility become choices that matter to someone else.

A lovely starting point for talking about trust, looking after other people’s belongings and admitting when we have made a mistake.

Made to be explored

A whole city,
waiting on the page.

Riverside bustle. Sunlit stone. A quiet rooftop above the city. Expansive illustrations give the adventure room to breathe, with details to linger over long after the paragraph ends.

For your family's bookshelf

Make room for
“one more chapter”.

Share the mystery at bedtime, take turns reading, or let a confident young reader follow the clues alone. The story gives you something to enjoy together—and plenty to talk about when the book closes.

Written for ages 8–12. Read the opening chapter to find the right fit for your child, whether you plan to read together or they are ready to explore independently.

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Mother and son reading An Adventure in Baghdad together

The same adventure. Your kind of reading.

The same adventure.
Two ways to enjoy it.

Every chapter. Every discovery. Both editions tell the complete story, with different ways to enjoy the illustrations.

Actual Illustrated Edition opening pages from An Adventure in Baghdad

Illustrated Edition · actual sample pages

For the wonder of looking a little longer

Illustrated Edition

A bigger canvas.
A world to linger in.

Give the adventure room to unfold. Full-colour layouts and expansive artwork make the setting part of the experience, inviting children to explore the details as well as follow the story.

The same complete, unabridged story
Full-colour layouts with generous, immersive illustrations
Hardback in A4 portrait or A4 landscape

A beautiful choice for shared discovery, picture-loving readers and a thoughtful gift.

Both Illustrated formats contain the complete story. Read a sample here, then visit the bookshop to choose the format for your family.

Explore the Illustrated Edition

Read a chapter.
Begin the adventure.

Meet Yusuf in “The Papermaker’s Son”. Start with the full-colour Illustrated Edition in landscape or portrait. Each option opens the complete first chapter.

The same complete story in every edition. Free to read.

Enjoyed the first pages? Make room for the whole adventure.

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Actual opening pages of An Adventure in Baghdad

Before you begin

A few things
you might wonder.

Who is this adventure for?

An illustrated chapter book for ages 8–12. Share it aloud or let a confident reader explore independently. The complete first-chapter samples help you judge the reading level for your child.

What are the different formats?

The Illustrated Edition is a full-colour hardback in A4 portrait or landscape. Both formats contain the complete story. Explore the photographs and free samples here; choose your format in the bookshop.

Where does it fit in Yusuf’s adventures?

Follow Yusuf from An Adventure in Baghdad, through An Adventure in the Desert, to An Adventure in Damascus. Damascus also stands alone, with an introduction that welcomes new readers.

Where can I buy the book?

Our separate bookshop is opening soon. When it opens, you can choose your edition and place your order there. Enjoy the free chapters in the meantime.

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A place on their bookshelf. A world in their imagination.