Hilwa’s Gifts
Written by Safa Suleiman
Illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan
Published by Candlewick
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.
Primary ISBN: 9781536229424
Publication Date: April 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 03 or older
Community Represented: Palestinian/Palestinian American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Celebrations & Traditions, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Food, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Generation: 1st, Multilingual: Arabic Featured Words, Outdoor Exploration, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Setting: Home Country
Setting: Palestine
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
Click here for details about how we define our titles.
Engagement Projects & Resources:
Share your favorite resources for this book with info@imyourneighborbooks.org.