



My Olive Tree
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
In this simple, touching picture book about the healing power of a loving community, a girl's grandpa and her neighbors help her grow an olive tree in a war-torn land.
A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Salam's grandpa says that olive trees are strong and that their roots run deep in their Palestinian land. They connect everyone--from the farmer who presses the olives into oil to the baker who uses the oil in his taboon.
Salam plants her own seed and is eager to see it grow. She waits... she waters... she asks the seed to hurry... until finally...a sprout! But one day soldiers come and destroy everything in their path...including Salam's new olive tree. Salam is crushed--though she doesn't have to worry. Her grandpa gathers their neighbors and, together, they plant olive trees as far as the eye can see.
With spare, sensitive prose and gentle illustrations, debut author-illustrator Hazar Elbayya delivers a powerful story about the beauty of the olive tree and the importance of community in the face of hardship.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Elbayya's hopeful debut offers a portrait of community and resistance as young Salam learns "what makes these olive trees special." Salem's grandfather, Sido, who wears a keffiyeh, explains that the trees are "strong and resilient... and their branches are a symbol of peace." They also represent connection, their fruits linking the olive picker to the baker, and the olive seller to the ladies who eat olives over tea. After Salam plants an olive seed, the child "can't wait to help connect everyone," and tends to it as the seedling grows to a young tree. When "soldiers forcefully march into our land," though, the tree is trampled amid their bootprints. But Sido promises that "you will grow many more olive trees in your lifetime" and vows to spread word about the event, an act that inspires connection in restoring what was lost. Digital illustrations—line drawings enhanced by a restricted palette of browns, blues, greens, and oranges—underscore a community pulling together in the face of loss. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note discusses how "olive trees represent the strong spirit of Palestinians and our profound desire for peace." Ages 4–8.