“This gratifying story deftly weaves the experience of a child’s return home to Palestine, with an understanding of the importance olive trees play in Palestinian families’ lives. The glossary and author’s note add more information for curious readers, and the friendly, airy illustrations share the gladness of this traditional harvest. Ali’s concern for how Hilwa is treated, the playfulness and spark shown in his grandparents’ eyes, and the warm feeling of love that surround this extended family all radiate positive aspects of Arab culture in this joyous, superlative book.”—AANM Award Readers’ and Judges’ Citation.
Publisher’s Description
A heartwarming picture-book debut brings a tradition many thousands of years old—harvesting and pressing olives into oil—vividly to life, showing how customs unite us across time and space.
Ali has arrived in Palestine for a visit just in time for the olive harvest. His grandfather, Seedo, and Hilwa—his favorite tree—greet him in the grove, where Seedo explains that Hilwa has many gifts to share. Other family members whack the trees’ branches with sticks, singing “Zaytoon, ya zaytoon” while cousins clap and dance and happily pick up fallen olives. (Luckily, a gentle whack is all it takes for Hilwa’s fruits to rain down!) The next day, at the olive press, Ali watches the drip of gold liquid into a can, another of Hilwa’s gifts. Later, they picnic under the tree’s branches with hot mint tea, pita, and delicious olive oil swirled on hummus. Tradition is the greatest gift of all: the family gathering—generation after generation—to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Dynamic illustrations and a graceful text peppered with Arabic words, plus a glossary and author’s note, make for an intimate picture-book debut about a child discovering his heritage.
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Alf mobruk, Safa!
So well-deserved! This is such a beautiful story mashaAllah ❤️💚