These Olive Trees
By Aya Ghanameh
The Story
In 1967 Nablus, a young girl who loves harvesting olives with her mother must flee her home when war returns, and makes a quiet promise to keep her family's trees alive in memory.
Why It's Special
For families holding space for stories about displacement and belonging, this book carries the weight of leaving home and the fierceness of a child's promise to remember it.
- Big idea: Land and legacy live on in memory and ritual, even when a family is forced to leave the place itself.
- Vibes: tender, bittersweet, quietly hopeful
Perfect For Kids Who
- are curious about family stories and where they come from
- are learning about history through a child's point of view
- respond well to quiet, emotional storytelling
- enjoy stories tied to real traditions like harvesting
Ask Your Little Reader
- Story & connection: What did Oraib and her mama do together each harvest with the olives?
- Feelings & empathy: How do you think Oraib felt when she had to say goodbye to her olive trees?
- Real-life connection: Is there a place or tradition in your family that feels really special to you?
- Imagination: What promise do you think Oraib made to her trees, and why do you think it mattered so much to her?
- Family history: Mama told Oraib stories about home before the war — what stories do the grown-ups in your family tell you?
