A father and his daughters may
not be able to return home . . . but they can celebrate stories of
their homeland!
As
bedtime approaches, three young girls eagerly await the return of
their father who tells them stories of a faraway homeland—Palestine.
Through their father's memories, the Old City of Jerusalem comes to
life: the sounds of street vendors beating rhythms with brass coffee
cups, the smell of argileh drifting through windows, and the sight of
doves flapping their wings toward home. These daughters of the
diaspora feel love for a place they have never been, a place they
cannot go. But, as their father's story comes to an end, they know
that through his memories they will always return.
A
Palestinian family celebrates the stories of their homeland in this
moving autobiographical picture book debut by Hannah Moushabeck. With
heartfelt illustrations by Reem Madooh, this story is a love letter
to home, to family, and to the persisting hope of people that
transcends borders.
UNIVERSAL
MESSAGE: There are so many people who long to return to their
homelands but are unable to. This story will resonate with immigrant
families and refugees of all ethnicities and origins, as well as
anyone who yearns for home.
UNDERREPRESENTED
NARRATIVE: There are nearly 4 million Arab Americans living in the
United States, but still very few picture books that address the Arab
experience.
INTERGENERATIONAL
ENGAGEMENT: This sweet father-daughter story celebrates the bedtime
ritual of storytelling, promoting intergenerational sharing and
modeling learning about family trees and family histories. A perfect
read-aloud for Father's Day!
Perfect
for:
•
Anyone looking for books about
Palestine or with Palestinian narratives
•
Readers seeking kids' culture
books, immigrant or refugee stories, or diverse picture books
•
Father's Day gift giving to dads,
grandparents, uncles, and friends with a heartfelt connection to
their homelands
•
Readers with a passion for memoirs
and stories that illustrate the immigrant experience