My Grandma and Me
Written by Mina Javaherbin and Illustrated by Lindsey Yankey
Candlewick Press, 2019
Mina Javaherbin wrote "My Grandma and Me" based on her memories of growing up in Iran and her close relationship with her grandmother, who lived with her family. It is a sweet story with many details about how Mina and her grandma spent their days. The illustrations are soft and beautiful, recalling Persian rugs with their many pretty patterns.
The author writes in first person, telling how she followed her grandma everywhere. "When she swept, I swept. When she cooked, I cooked. When she prayed, I prayed like her, too."
The story tells about Iranian culture and values in a natural, easy way. Mina says she woke up at dawn with grandma when she got up for namaz, her morning prayers. She crawled up onto her grandma's back when she knelt down to pray.
They watched for the bread delivery boy together. He came on his bicycle with bread piled high in his basket. Mina and grandma lowered baskets down with ropes. The bread boy put the loaves inside, and they hauled it back up.
She played with her best friend Annette while their grandmothers talked, laughed and drank coffee. Their grandmothers knitted blankets together and watched Annette and Mina play hopscotch in the alley. They donated the blankets to her grandma's mosque and Annette's grandma's church.
Her grandma sewed chadors, Muslim women's garments, for different occasions. Mina draped them on a table to build a rocket ship. She'd tie one around her neck and fly from the moon to planets. Grandma gave her cookies and listened to her space adventures.
When she was older, she wore a chador grandma made for her and they walked together to the mosque. Her grandma prayed that Annette's grandma would go to heaven.
The next day, Annette told her that her grandma had also prayed that Mina's grandma would go to heaven.
The author concludes her story saying "I've never loved anything or anyone the way I loved my grandma. She was kind, generous, and full of love. I still want to be just like her.
This beautiful book is a nice way to teach children a little about the Muslim culture, while also sharing a story about a child's love for her grandmother.
About the Author
Mina Javaherbin has written several award-winning picture books, including "Soccer Star," illustrated by Renato Alarcao, and "Goal!" illustrated by A.G. Ford. She lives in Southern California.
About the Illustrator
Lindsey Yankey studied illustration at the University of Kansas and is the author-illustrator of "Bluebird" and "Sun and Moon." She lives in Lawrence, KS.
