The Little Black fish is a children story by Samad Behrangi to be published as part of Asemana Classics Series in September 2026.
Language: Persian
ISBN 978-1-997503-66-8
The Asemana Classics series is a publishing initiative by Asemana dedicated to publishing and revisiting enduring classics of Persian literature as well as masterpieces of modern Iranian literature. Through carefully prepared and thoughtfully presented editions, the series seeks to build a bridge between the literary heritage of the past and readers of today, offering new opportunities to engage with some of the most significant works of Persian culture and literature.
As the first title in the Asemana Classics series, The Little Black Fish, Samad Behrangi’s enduring work, is being published—a story that, despite the simplicity of its narrative, contains multiple layers of meaning. It can be read as an engaging children’s tale about curiosity and courage, as a symbolic account of an individual’s journey to discover the world, and as a profound meditation on freedom, choice, and resistance to intellectual and social constraints. The secret of the book’s enduring appeal lies precisely in this multilayered quality: each generation and each reader, shaped by their own experiences and intellectual horizons, can discover new meanings within it.
Today, The Little Black Fish is regarded not only as one of the most distinguished works of Iranian children’s and young adult literature but also as part of the global heritage of children’s literature. Translated into dozens of languages, it has found readers far beyond the borders of Iran. For Iranian readers living abroad and newer generations of the diaspora, beyond its literary significance, the book offers a bridge to the Persian language, cultural memory, and Iranian storytelling traditions. Rereading it today provides an opportunity for dialogue across generations and a reminder that curiosity, imagination, and the desire to venture beyond familiar boundaries are values that never grow old.
