Everything Grows in Jiddo’s Garden is the story of a young Palestinian girl and her Jiddo—her Grandpa!
Jiddo’s garden is a wonder. In it grows so many amazing things—to see, smell, and taste. But helping him to tend the garden teaches this young girl about even more than fig trees. It gives her a chance to discover just who she is.
Many years ago, like so many Palestinians, her family was forced to leave their homeland. But Jiddo shows her how, until they can return, tending a garden can connect them to home—and to each other!
This heartwarming debut picture book by Jenan Matari explores themes of displacement, belonging, and an enduring connection to the land. With stunning illustrations by Aya Ghanameh, it’s a poignant celebration of love, identity and hope.
“Everything Grows in Jiddo’s Garden is the children’s book I wish my father had been able to give to me as a child. Each Palestinian plants the seed of Palestine in their children and tends to it knowing that the youth will carry the seed with them until they can plant it in the soil of their homeland again. Thank you Jenan for this book and for speaking to the little girl in me, who still holds the seed of Palestine in my heart.” -- Alana Hadid, Palestinian American Activist, Model and Creative Director of Watermelon Pictures
“My friend. My friend! Jenan writes from a place deep within that we all share—a place where love is so abundant it can never stop growing. This story reminds us that when we nurture and tend to that love, no distance or challenge can ever diminish the strength of our hearts. It is a book I will cherish for the rest of my life, a powerful reflection of the beauty in our own stories and everything we hold dear. All I can say is, thank you. Thank you for your courage and authenticity. Thank you for the za’atar from your grandfather’s garden that now grows in my own.” -- Diane Guerrero, Colombian American Actress, Activist and Author
"A poignant tale that voices the hopes and heartaches of many diasporic Palestinians." -- Kirkus Reviews
"A thriving garden is likened to the indomitable spirit of Palestinian refugees in this heartfelt picture book. A girl loves to help her jiddo in his garden; he tells her about the garden his father had before their land was taken ... Despite these circumstances, “the home rooted in his heart” sprouts hope." -- Foreword Reviews
“A grandfather’s garden roots a child’s sense of cultural heritage in a quietly affirming rhyming family story … Even light bathes the blues, golds, greens, and reds of the cartooned illustrations, dotted with images of poppies and watermelon slices, in this tender, yearning work about how the home in Jiddo’s heart ‘makes everything grow.’” -- Publishers Weekly
Jenan A. Matari is an award-winning Palestinian American storyteller. Her work centers on narratives of resistance, resilience and culture, weaving the struggles of Indigenous peoples globally into her advocacy for Palestinian liberation. Her popular social media presence has earned her a large global following: You can find Jenan on Instagram @jenanmatari, TikTok @jenan.matari, or visit her website at She lives in exile with her family on the ancestral lands of the Lenape people. This is her first book.
Aya Ghanameh is a Palestinian illustrator, writer, and designer from Amman, Jordan based in New York City. She received her BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. Her debut picture book, These Olive Trees (Penguin Random House), was inspired by the experiences of her family who cultivated her love of the land throughout her upbringing in exile. She is also illustrator of Dear Muslim Child by Rahma Rodaah (HarperCollins). You can visit Aya online at ayaghanameh.com or follow her on Instagram @ayaillustrates.
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