Illustrations by Marjan Vafaeian for The Red Ladybird by Kambiz Kakavand (Iran, 2007), another installment of my series "Iranian Kids' Books"

You can see this book in its entirety at the International Digital Children's Library.

A red ladybird had no black spots on her wings and the insects called her a cockroach. Embarrassed she went to her friends for help. The butterfly painted black spots on her wings but the rain washed them away...Next, the ladybird went to a big ladybird to borrow his black spots, but she was refused. She tried many things, but nothing worked. In the end, the little red ladybird decided to live a happy life even without black spots on her wings. [via]

As an American, it feels odd to use ladybird rather than ladybug, but I'll also admit ladybird is cooler.

Iranian illustrator Marjan Vafaeian was born in 1978 and has competed in and won many international illustration competitions. Her illustrations for The Sound of Little Green Goat’s Footsteps are equally great.

Check out my other features of books from Iran