Memory Garden

A mother-daughter team of Iranian descent contemplate memory in this intergenerational tale. An overall-clad, red-capped protagonist with two long braids loves helping in Nana’s garden, but admits that “what I love even more are the stories she tells me about a garden she knows far away,” an unspecified place that Nana calls “back home.” There, tall cypress trees stood like soldiers, flower beds were filled with fragrant blooms, and harvesting fruit was a beloved ritual. Memories unfurl as Nana, in a straw hat and green shirt, flashes back to her younger self, only obscurely referencing history (about the garden, “We had to leave it”) to focus on joyful sensate reminiscences. Vibrant illustrations in a green-gold palette—painted in gouache on vellum—include Persian motifs. Author and illustrator notes conclude. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)