Hilwa’s Gifts

Harvest season deepens feelings of connection in a work that highlights olive trees’ enduring role in Palestinian culture. When Ali’s family visit to Palestine coincides with the event, the boy follows his grandfather, Seedo, into the family’s olive grove and heads straight for Hilwa—“the tree Seedo planted with his grandfather.” Climbing Hilwa, Ali observes his grandmother, Sitty, whacking the branches of another tree and singing as olives fall. Semirdzhyan’s digital illustrations portray a lush landscape bustling with activity as relations, portrayed in fluid lines, harvest olives into patched woven baskets, and Ali learns about all that the yield provides. A variety of framing choices keep the visual pacing lively, leading to an intergenerational family picnic that, amid the bounty, proves “the greatest gift.” A glossary and an author’s note conclude. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)