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“Told through a child’s perspective, this tender story about loss, resilience, and the power of connection is moving in both its storytelling and its artwork.”

—Booklist, Starred Review

“Tender care grounds a symbolic concept with conviction in this heartfelt picture book.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A poignant look at the human cost of wars and forced migration.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“[A] lovely refugee story of perseverance drawn from the author’s experiences.”

—School Library Journal

My Sister the Apple Tree: A Refugee Story of Hope and Resilience

Written by Jordan Scott and Jamal Saeed
Illustrated by Zahra Marwan
Published by Random House Studio

When a young boy asks his parents why he doesn’t have a brother or sister, his mother replies that on the day he was born, they planted an apple tree in their front yard. “The apple tree is your sister,” she says. At night, the boy wraps a blanket around his sister’s trunk and during the day he shares all of his secrets with her.

One day, they see helicopters in the sky and his parents tell him they must flee. But how can he leave his sister behind? Instead he digs her up and carries her away from their homeland. When they arrive to a new place, the air is colder and the ground is hard. Home feels so far away. But as his sister grows taller and her branches blossom, the boy realizes that he will always be connected to his homeland, even as he begins to embrace his new one.

This moving and hopeful refugee story is written by Syrian activist Jamal Saeed and co-written by acclaimed poet Jordan Scott. Illustrated by award-winning artist Zahra Marwan, who drew inspiration from her own immigration from Kuwait, this gorgeous book reminds readers that nothing is left behind forever.

Primary ISBN: 9780593808412
Publication Date: September 2025
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Syria, Unspecified (Western Country)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Home Country, On Journey, Refugee

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

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Educator Guide

Source: Random House Children’s Books