''The Man With Bad Manners'', first published in 2003, is the seventh out of eleven children's books written by

Idries Shah Idries Shah (; hi, इदरीस शाह, ps, ادريس شاه, ur, ; 16 June 1924 – 23 November 1996), also known as Idris Shah, né Sayed Idries el- Hashimi (Arabic: سيد إدريس هاشمي) and by the pen name Arko ...

and published by Hoopoe Books.

Summary

''The Man With Bad Manners'' is a fable about how a village struggles with a Man with Bad Manners. The story's focus is on peaceful

conflict resolution Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict and retribution. Committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information abou ...

and how the village provides the Man with Bad Manners an opportunity to reform his behavior. The publisher has developed a "Manual for Parents and Caregivers," which is available for free at their website. The manual suggests questions that a parent might ask to enrich a child's understanding of the story's message.

Editions

''The Man With Bad Manners'' comes in several different versions: hardcover, softcover, and hardcover with a CD. The book is published in several different language including English and Spanish as well as several bilingual editions including English and Pashto and English and Dari.

Reception

Marilyn Taniguchi of the

Beverly Hills Public Library The Beverly Hills Public Library (abbreviated BHPL) is a public library in Beverly Hills, California. Location The library is located next door to the BHPD headquarters, opposite the Beverly Hills Fire Department, and near the Beverly Hills City H ...

reviewed ''The Man With Bad Manners'' for the April 2004 issue of the ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...

''. Taniguchi said that the story and illustrations blend effectively to deliver "the story's message of peaceful conflict resolution." Veronica Schwartz of the

Des Plaines Public Library Des Plaines Public Library is a public library serving the city of Des Plaines, Illinois. It is located at 1501 Ellinwood Street, in Des Plaines, Illinois. History The construction of a library in Des Plaines was first proposed in 1896, but w ...

reviewed ''The Man With Bad Manners'' for the May 2006 issue of the ''

''. Schwartz notes that she considers the book "A fine addition to folk tale collections." Schwartz goes on to say that the story covers "lessons relating to conflict resolution, initiative, cooperation, and an alternative way of seeing things." Noorullah Babrakzai reviewed Shah's entire Children's Book Series which includes "The Man With Bad Manners" for Volume 5 Number 2, 2003 (ISSN 1521-0960) issue of the '' Multicultural Perspectives''. Babrakzai notes that "it would be a mistake to view these tales as merely 'primitive' substitutes for more 'sophisticated' forms of entertainment. There lasting appeal is due, I think, to the fact that they not only entertain, but can be understood on many different levels and provide a form of "nourishment for the brain" that can help develop thinking abilities and perceptions."

References

External links

Hoopoe Books - Read Together Manuals (in English and Spanish)The Idries Shah FoundationThe Man With Bad Manners Free Online Read
{{DEFAULTSORT:Man with Bad Manners, The Books by Idries Shah 2003 children's books