We Are Palestinian: A Celebration of Culture and Tradition
Reem Kassis
Illustrated by Noha Eilouti
Crocodile Books
Published September 19, 2023
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About We Are Palestinian: A Celebration of Culture and Tradition
A stunning non-fiction children’s book celebrating everything Palestinian!
From culture and food, to music and literature, We Are Palestinian is a celebration of Palestinian heritage. Brought to life by award-winning writer Reem Kassis, every spread is filled with wonderful anecdotes, fascinating facts, and memorable quotes. It is beautifully illustrated by Noha Eilouti, an emerging Palestinian-Canadian illustrator.
Discover ALL about the history of iconic Palestinian symbols like tatreez embroidery, or the inspiration behind Mahmoud Darwish’s poetry. As you turn every page, you’ll find yourself lost in the world of Dabke (the folk dance of Palestine) and amazed by its famous old cities; you’ll try traditional food like knafeh, explore the different religions, and find out much more. Each spread of We Are Palestinian is accessible, richly inspiring, and visually stunning.
Young readers are going to love discovering more about Palestine. This is the perfect book for parents, educators, and caregivers wishing to explore new worlds of culture and custom with children!
My Review
This is such a cool book. Because of what’s happening in that part of the world, Palestine is in the news so much right now. I love that there’s a celebratory, informative book that kids can read so they have a better understanding of who Palestinian people are and what their lives look like.
I remember just reaching the age when I paid more attention to the news and wanting to know more about the places that reporters were talking about. It’s great that we have resources that allow us to celebrate the rich culture and history of Palestinians without asking kids to weigh in on complex political issues.
The book covers a range of topics, from exploring significant cities in the area to cultural symbols like dress, the flag, and national anthem to celebrated artists, writers, athletes, and entertainers. Because I’m Italian and speak the language of the love of food, I also really enjoyed the parts of the book that focus on the different kinds of food that Palestinians eat. Yum! (Side note: the author also wrote a cookbook of Palestinian food. I am definitely going to check it out.)
I learned a lot from reading this book. As you read, the author might use a word like the name of a dish and a parenthetical reference beside it will note where you can read more about that food. I think it would have strengthened the comprehension if the book included a vocabulary section in the back. Sometimes I felt like the definitions within the text were a little vague.
On the whole, though, I think this is a great book and very timely.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 9 up.
Representation
As you can guess from the title, the book focuses on the life experiences of Palestinians. One section highlights famous Palestinian people from artists to activists to athletes.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to clothing worn for weddings.
Spiritual Content
References Islam, Christianity, and Judaism and discusses how and why certain cities are important to members of all three faiths.
Violent Content
Brief reference to warfare in the region and the lives of Palestinians as refugees.
Drug Content
None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of WE ARE PALESTINIAN in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.