by Mina Javaherbin (Author) Lindsey Yankey (Illustrator)
In a warm, vibrantly illustrated story drawn from the author's childhood memories, the team behind My Grandma and Me follow a girl and her father as they explore the wondrous city of Isfahan, Iran--and his family home.
My father and I are explorers . . . He teaches me that there is no end to learning and the world is mine to explore.
With the first rays of the sun, Mina and her father begin a joyful day exploring the city streets of Isfahan, Iran, where Islam and Judaism intertwine and a community thrives. Mina imagines the ancient sites coming to life as her father points out the fascinating history and architecture of the churches, synagogues, and mosques they pass by. The two of them picnic with friends near Si-o-se Pol bridge, then finish the day at Mina's father's beautiful childhood home, savoring a dinner specially prepared by Grandma. In a love letter to a location she can no longer visit, Mina Javaherbin's autobiographical story is a gorgeous, wistful celebration of culture, home, and family, glowing with Lindsey Yankey's soft, intricate illustrations full of pattern and color. Back matter includes a glossary and a note from the author relaying more about Isfahan's history and her personal ties.
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"My father and I are explorers! Today, we explore Isfahan, his childhood home in Iran," begins this work of intergenerational memory. Gentle, naif-style spreads visualize the duo's climb to an ancient temple, followed by visits and a picnic with two old friends. Along the way, father and daughter pass a synagogue and later enter a small mosque at the city center, whose intricate ornamentation Yankey traces with care. When, at last, they arrive at the father's former home, his childhood nanny and grandmother are preparing dinner. The family eats together, a meal pictured in deliciously colored close focus, then prepares for bed ("The samovar is emptied... and the pigeons are locked in their coop"). Underscoring Isfahan's long multicultural history and recalling specific Iranian lifeways, Javaherbin ends with a reflection on traveling: "When you bring your own light," the protagonist's father tells her, "the world becomes your home." An author's note and glossary conclude. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
This day in the life is a beautiful, wistful tribute to a beloved homeland.