Wafa ShamiOlive Harvest in Palestine: A story of childhood memories

I bought this book because I love olives and have been researching the history and traditions of Palestine. It is a picture book intended for children of primary school age but it is a very enjoyable read for adults too, very informative and beautifully illustrated. An important testimonial of the life and customs of a country that has suffered occupation and war for many years, yet continues to find the strength to restart and rebuild in the deeply rooted traditions and unique relationship with the land and its people. Invaluable to teach children of Palestinian descent about their origins.

I got this book because my Palestinian friend had a baby, and I thought she could read this to the baby.It's a very cute book, but I think maybe it would be a bit too long to read to small children? The cover is very flimsy too, and doesn't seem durable.I think she'll love the book anyways, but she may need another copy at some point with wear and tear

Very good book, warm and nice atmosphere, even me as a grown up felt I am there reading about olive harvesting, maklouba and my 5 yrs old daughter absolutely loved it

A lovely book, I read it to my four year old before bedtime and she loves it. I'm looking out for more from this writer.

One of the best things about this story is that it just shares the beauty of the tradition that goes back hundreds of years and shows how deeply woven this practice is to people indigenous to the region. It doesn't go into politics. It doesn't share anything of the current harsh reality. It just tells a beautiful story about two girls who enjoy this incredibly important tradition. It helps me realize why it's important to preserve the land and to share stories. Thank you for this lovely book.

My 8 years old loved it so much. And I enjoyed it reading it with him.

This delightful book evocatively explains how olive oil - which most children know from their dinner tables – is made, and is useful just for this practical information. At the same time it gives insight into Palestinian culture, showing how the country is about so much more than violence and war. Highly recommended!

We love this book as it helps talk about the olive harvest in Palestine, where our kids are from but haven't lived for a few years. I can tell this book has been a labour of love. I wonder however if there has been an editor involved... the text is not great, I change much of the story while I read. It's quite repetitive and not very exciting. Hard to read aloud. There are some actual mistakes in sentence structure, for example. Our book also has 2 double pages in it.I would recommend to rewrite the text where possible in a reprint, but definitely commend the author on giving people such a lovely resource to keep the tradition of olive harvesting alive!

This book transports you to the olive harvest time. It is eye opening and a fantastic journey.