My Favorite Memories - by Sepideh Sarihi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A young girl is moving to a new country, and there's so much that she wants to bring: an aquarium, a pear tree, her best friend, the ocean. As she moves through the list of the things she loves, she comes to understand that while we cannot always carry things with us physically--maybe they can travel with us in other ways"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

★ "A gentle story about change, home, and the hope life hands us when we open our hearts to receive it." -- Booklist, starred review

A beautifully simple story about moving to a new home, exploring themes of change and permanence and told with warm illustrations from an award-winning illustrator.

A young girl is moving to a new country, and there's so much that she wants to bring: an aquarium, a pear tree, her best friend, the ocean. As she moves through the list of the things she loves, she comes to understand that while we cannot always carry things with us physically--maybe they can travel with us in other ways.

Told with warm illustrations by an award-winning picture book illustrator, My Favorite Memories offers parents and educators a gentle but impactful way to discuss the idea of resilience along with complex life events like immigration and moving to a new home. Printed on FSC-certified paper with vegetable-based inks.

From the Back Cover

The ocean was also one of my favorite things.
But that was something I didn't have to take with me.
That's the great thing about the ocean--it's everywhere.

Review Quotes

★ "A gentle story about change, home, and the hope life hands us when we open our hearts to receive it." -- Amina Chaudhri, Booklist, starred review

"Sarihi's simple, heartfelt story is equally matched by Völk's unfussy yet evocative illustrations...A charming tale exploring themes of change, migration, and resilience told from a child's point of view." --Kirkus Reviews

2020 winner of the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award

"It's a gentle, empathetic story about acclimating to big change, not to mention a story about creative problem-solving, and about a child's understanding that some things are carried in one's heart or mind." --Julie Danielson, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

"A globally collaborative trio present lucky audiences My Favorite Memories, a poignant, hopeful journey of transition and relocation. Sarihi's spare story, translated from the German by Lauffer and enhanced by IBBY-Honored Völk's magnificent illustrations, will undoubtedly resonate with audiences around the world." -- Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon + Shelf Awareness

"Volk brings Sarihi's simple but heartening story to life through beautiful...illustrations...Staying true to its childlike perspective, this book offers the opportunity to explore and discuss themes of change, resilience, permanence, and connection." --Weileen Wang, The Horn Book

About the Author

Sepideh Sarihi was born in 1988 in Iran. She studied screenwriting and dramaturgy in Tehran, where she later worked for various magazines and in children's television. She has lived in Germany since 2012 and is studying fine art at the Bauhaus University, Weimar.

Julie Völk was born in Vienna, Austria, and studied illustration at the University of Applied Sciences. Her clear, delicate style combines realism with fantasy, which gives her illustrations a highly original atmosphere. She now lives and works just outside Vienna. Her picture books have won many awards, including a White Raven Award. In 2018, she was named an IBBY Honored Illustrator.