Description

A heartwarming picture-book debut brings a tradition many thousands of years oldharvesting and pressing olives into oilvividly 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 Hilwahis favorite treegreet 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 Hilwas fruits to rain down!) The next day, at the olive press, Ali watches the drip of gold liquid into a can, another of Hilwas gifts. Later, they picnic under the trees branches with hot mint tea, pita, and delicious olive oil swirled on hummus. Tradition is the greatest gift of all: the family gatheringgeneration after generationto celebrate a bountiful harvest. Dynamic illustrations and a graceful text peppered with Arabic words, plus a glossary and authors note, make for an intimate picture-book debut about a child discovering his heritage.

Author: Safa Suleiman
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 04/01/2025
Pages: 40
Weight: 1.1lbs
Size: 10.40h x 10.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781536229424
Language: English