Hilwa’s Gifts
Hilwa’s Gifts by Safa Suleiman is a picture book published by Candlewick Press in April 2025, featuring 40 pages in English. This debut work vividly brings to life the tradition of harvesting and pressing olives into oil, showcasing the connection between a Palestinian family and their land. The story follows Ali, who visits Palestine during the olive harvest, where he is welcomed by his grandfather, Seedo, and their beloved olive tree, Hilwa. Through engaging illustrations and a gentle narrative, the book illustrates how customs can unite families across generations.
Readers will find a celebration of family and tradition as Ali participates in the olive harvest alongside his relatives, enjoying the lively atmosphere filled with music and dance. The narrative emphasizes the joy of gathering and sharing meals, highlighting the importance of heritage. With dynamic illustrations and a text that incorporates Arabic words, this edition offers an intimate glimpse into the lifestyles and customs of a multigenerational family in the Middle East. A glossary and author’s note further enrich the reader’s understanding of the cultural context presented in this heartwarming tale.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Combining a centuries-old practice with the story about a Palestinian family and their relationship to the land make Hilwa’s Gifts an absolute treasure.” —Booklist (starred review)
A heartwarming picture-book debut brings a tradition many thousands of years old–harvesting and pressing olives into oil–vividly to life, showing how customs unite us across time and space.
Ali has arrived in Palestine for a visit just in time for the olive harvest. His grandfather, Seedo, and Hilwa–his favorite tree–greet him in the grove, where Seedo explains that Hilwa has many gifts to share. Other family members whack the trees’ branches with sticks, singing “Zaytoon, ya zaytoon” while cousins clap and dance and happily pick up fallen olives. (Luckily, a gentle whack is all it takes for Hilwa’s fruits to rain down!) The next day, at the olive press, Ali watches the drip of gold liquid into a can, another of Hilwa’s gifts. Later, they picnic under the tree’s branches with hot mint tea, pita, and delicious olive oil swirled on hummus. Tradition is the greatest gift of all: the family gathering–generation after generation–to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Dynamic illustrations and a graceful text peppered with Arabic words, plus a glossary and author’s note, make for an intimate picture-book debut about a child discovering his heritage.
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