The Sour Cherry Tree - by Naseem Hrab (Hardcover)

About the Book

"After her grandfather's death, a young girl explores her Baba Bazorg's house. As the girl wanders through the house, almost idly, her Baba Bazorg's house stands in for the man himself, with each object she describes standing as a touchstone to a memory, and each memory serving as a window into the relationship between the child and her grandfather. As she looks through its rooms, the things she sees and the object she touches bring to life memories of the man she knew, and also the man she didn't know."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A heartwarming look at love, loss, and memorable objects through the eyes of a child by critically-acclaimed creators Naseem Hrab and Nahid Kazemi

"Deeply evocative ... A beautifully poignant celebration of memories of a loved one that live on in those that remain." -- Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

After her grandfather's death, a young girl wanders through his house. As she tours each room, the objects she discovers stir memories of her grandfather--her baba bozorg. His closet full of clothes reminds her of the mints he kept in his pockets. His favorite teacup conjures thoughts of the fig cookies he would offer her. The curtains in the living room bring up memories of hide-and-seek games and the special relationship that she and her baba bozorg shared, even though they spoke different languages.

The Sour Cherry Tree is an authentic look at death and loss centred on the experiences of a child, both strikingly whimsical and matter-of-fact. Drawing on the Iranian-Canadian author's childhood memories, this tender meditation on grief, love, and memory is at once culturally specific and universally relatable.

Review Quotes

"The Sour Cherry Tree lives on beyond the page. From the expanse of grief to a message of hope, it embodies what the young girl perhaps most loved about her grandfather: that he loved her."

-- "Quill & Quire - STARRED REVIEW"

"[The Sour Cherry Tree] might help children and their parents to find some comfort in what's left behind."

-- "NPR"

"A lovely addition to the canon of children's picture books that deal with the death of a grandparent."

-- "Canadian Review of Materials"

"A portrait of a beloved grandfather who kept mints in his pockets, liked fig cookies, and 'spoke Farsi loudly but English quietly.'"

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"A universally relatable story that articulates a difficult concept for younger audiences, with a heartfelt message about loss and the memories of loved ones."

-- "Booklist - STARRED REVIEW"

"Deeply evocative ... A beautifully poignant celebration of memories of a loved one that live on in those that remain."

-- "Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW"

"In Ms. Kazemi's soft, cloudy pictures picked out with tiny details, the girl moves through the rooms of Baba Borzog's house looking at his things ... In memory, she sees him as he was, with his wry, twinkling eyes under bushy brows and his determination always to wave goodbye until his family was out of sight."

-- "The Wall Street Journal"

"Kazemi's illustrations have a soft, filmy quality that suits a story about memories ... The first-person narration, filled with childlike details and tender emotions, reinforces the equally childlike perspective of the delicate art."

-- "The Horn Book"

"The story takes a gentle look at loss and allows the narrator to speak freely about all she loved about her many visits with her grandfather."

-- "Sal's Fiction Addiction"

"This book gives voice to the hidden aspects of grief, the small token, the remembered word or gesture that defines memories. It's an essential guide to mourning, in its earliest stages, for the young."

-- "School Library Journal - STARRED REVIEW"