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“A grandfather’s garden roots a child’s sense of cultural heritage in a quietly affirming rhyming family story … Even light bathes the blues, golds, greens, and reds of the cartooned illustrations, dotted with images of poppies and watermelon slices, in this tender, yearning work about how the home in Jiddo’s heart ‘makes everything grow.’”

—Publishers Weekly

“A thriving garden is likened to the indomitable spirit of Palestinian refugees in this heartfelt picture book. A girl loves to help her jiddo in his garden; he tells her about the garden his father had before their land was taken … Despite these circumstances, “the home rooted in his heart” sprouts hope.”

—Foreword Reviews

“Looking through an old photo album, the young protagonist gazes at an image of the family’s home in Palestine. Though the child has never been there, “I can taste its sweetness in my Jiddo’s rows of green.” Jiddo (Grandfather) grows sour plums, plump tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers, as well as figs from a tree he raised—his favorite taste of home…Expressed in simple, child-friendly prose, the story explores themes of belonging, forced displacement, and the deep connection that many Palestinians have to the land and to the food they grow on it…A poignant tale that voices the hopes and heartaches of many diasporic Palestinians.”

—Kirkus Reviews

Everything Grows in Jiddo’s Garden

Written by Jenan Matari
Illustrated by Aya Ghanameh
Published by Crocodile Books

Jiddo’s garden is a wonder. In it grows so many amazing things—to see, smell, and taste. But helping him to tend the garden teaches this young girl about even more than fig trees. It gives her a chance to discover just who she is.

Many years ago, like so many Palestinians, her family was forced to leave their homeland. But Jiddo shows her how, until they can return, tending a garden can connect them to home—and to each other!

This heartwarming debut picture book by Jenan Matari explores themes of displacement, belonging, and an enduring connection to the land. With stunning illustrations by Aya Ghanameh, it’s a poignant celebration of love, identity and hope.

Primary ISBN: 9781623716110
Publication Date: September 2025
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 03 or older

Community Represented:

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Setting: Unspecified

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 2nd Generation

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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