A very sweet and gentle approach to grief and the loss of a loved one for a child. While it's solidly grounded in a specific cultural context, it's still accessible to readers who don't share that culture. The muted colors and vague boundaries might be difficult for younger children to engage with, but they feel right for the topic.

Ummmmmmm, 9kay. This is not something that I personally agree with, nor would really want to read with young readers.

The Sour Cherry Tree may be different for you, depending upon your beliefs, it just isn't something I like, agree with and found to be a no.

The Sour Cherry Tree is a sweet book that tackles a tough subject for little ones, the death of a grandfather.. The approach is subtle, never mentioning death or dying, just noting that the grandfather didn’t wake up one morning and now he is not at his house when the child goes there with her mom to “take care of a few things”. This book intertwines multi-cultural elements into the story as well, the grandfather is from Iran, the child refers to him as Baba Bozorg, he spoke Farsi, he did not speak English well and the child did not speak Farsi so there was a language barrier yet you can tell they still maintained a rich and loving relationship.

The child wonders through her Baba Bozorg’s house, wistfully remembering the times they shared when he was alive, His slippers remind her of the times they played hide and seek, she recalls the special tea and fig cookies he loved and always offered her when she sees his favorite tea cup, and the sour cherry tree reminds her how he always waved goodbye when they left his house. The story has a sadness to it of course, but the way the author handles the loss by sharing good memories will serve to lessen the sorrow of children facing the death of someone they love.

The illustrations in this book are done in pencil on a gray toned paper, with minimal use of color throughout, This treatment supports the overall theme of sadness, with the color keeping it from being gloomy. The drawings are simple and a bit messy, somewhat childlike, yet very charming with many details for a reader to enjoy.

Overall, I would recommend this book for younger children facing the loss of someone close to them. It does not address the bigger issues of death or try to explain it, but I feel it would be a comfort to them. The multi-cultural elements are a bonus, they are woven into the story seamlessly, any child would relate to the experiences regardless of their background.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing an electronic ARC through NetGalley.

The graphics were great. Not much storyline. Almost read like a picture book. Did not hold my attention very long. This title seemed to get started but never really went anywhere.

Simply wonderful, a story about love and loss and memories. It is great for all ages and would be a great intergenerational read.

The Sour Cherry Tree is a positive look at a child unpacking the death of her beloved grandfather. She and her mother go for a last walk-through of Baba Bozorg's house. The girl looks in each room, spotting items she associates with Baba Bozorg, and remembering their time together. This is a beautiful, positive look at death which might be helpful to children experiencing loss. Children in our culture are usually 'sheltered' from the death of loved ones, and this book illustrates how to include them in a positive way.

I absolutely adore this book. It is so heartfelt, and will touch each and every readers soul. Written in simple language for young and adult readers alike.

This book is to be savored for its illustrations and theme. Upon his death, the granddaughter of an Iranian poet, who has immigrated, wanders through his home lovingly exploring and recalling the games they played and the tea and fig cookies they shared, even though he spoke Farsi and she did not. Our memories of someone lost are rich the traditions we shared with them.

This picture book might help an adult discuss the sense of loss in conjunction with how special the lifetime memories and/or accomplishments are of a recently deceased family member.

In Naseem Hrab's book, it is Babu Bozorg (Grandpa) who has died. The soft focus, sparingly colored illustrations help to create the right mood for this book's topic. The young child in the story does not seem to realize how final Babu's departure is as she jumps on Babu's bed as she used to do to wake him up and searches through the pockets of his clothes for the goodies he used to always have on hand. One strength of this book is it seems to be more of a contemplative mood rather than a tear jerker. It is a book that seems to emphasize a celebration of a loved one's life. Parents, teachers, any adult could probably use this book as a way to help very young children discuss the death of someone they loved. The reason I rated the book a 4 out of 5 stars is that it is not a book I would be giving as a gift to children for birthdays, holidays, etc.

Simple story that illustrates losing a grandparent from a child's perspective. The story is relatable and will connect with young children. You can feel the child's grief and joy at remembering the time she spent with her grandfather. It embodies the bittersweet feelings you have when you remember a loved one that you have lost.

This was a great children's picture book full of emotional depth that also had wonderful illustrations. However, it ended a bit abruptly. 4.8/5

Multicultural/ generational picture book about losing a loved one, in this case a young girl whose grandfather has died. Although she didn’t speak his Farsi language, the two had a close relationship built on small shared experiences. Soft focus illustrations in muted tones match the mood as the girl recalls the times spent together. This could be a model for talking about loss with young kids, but will need cultural context explained to the listener.

I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
A tender look at death through the eyes of a child. Her Baba Bozorg/grandfather has passed away just before the book begins. Readers see she and her mom go over to his home. She moves through the home and yard remembering how they spent their time together. She shares about the language barrier and the love that connected them. The sour cherry tree in the title is one that was planted by her grandfather when her mother was the girl's age. It has obviously been part of their three lives though younger readers may miss that.
One that families may want to share together after a loved one's death. It will spark dialogue about their own memories in their own homes.

The Sour Cherry Tree by Naseem Hrab and Nahid Kazemi is about the power of memories from a child's point of view. This story begins with the loss of a grandfather who sometimes spoke in the language of his homeland where he was a poet. His daughter and granddaughter think fondly of the tree he planted in his new home where they are visiting on the day after his passing.

I admire the tone of this book, which the author has masterfully crafted into that of a young girl realizing that her baba is no more. It delves into tough subject matter without being morbid or indifferent. The book and its illustrations portray a lovely picture of the Farsi culture being imparted onto a second-generation North American youngster. I recommend it for preschool and elementary age children and their caregivers. It is a reading treasure and a starting point for multigenerational conversations.

This is a lovely children’s book to help a child deal with loss. It tells the beautiful story of a child visiting a grandfather’s home after he has passed. The child takes a journey of memories. The beautiful illustrations show the memories, the love, and the bonds between grandfather and grandchild.

This touching book would be an excellent addition to a classroom library to help children who might be experiencing the death of a grandparent. Rather than dwelling on the grief, the author shares the child's and mother's memories of Baba. Keeping the memories alive provides healing.

With beautiful illustrations accompanied by moving text, Hrab tells the story of a young person's last visit to their baba's home after his death. I would recommend this to families with young children who are experiencing grief and loss in their family, and those who are not. This story will build empathy in young children, especially since it is told from the perspective of a child and looks at the kind memories they had of their loved one and things that will not be the same, but memories that will always be present.

In this moving picture book, the main character is dealing with the loss of her grandfather. She is so young, that it is explained to her as "not waking up". She and her mother go to his house the day after, and the young child explores each room. As she plays she is reminded of the happy times she had with him even though there was a language barrier. Love is its own langauge.

A lovely story about a child’s immediate life after the loss of a grandparent. I enjoyed the simplistic coloring of illustrations. It’s not a book I would recommend for a child’s casual reading, but definitely a touching story I would share with an older child or adult. I would definitely recommend for a young patron dealing with loss, as the book messages that our lives do go on after a loss.

The Sour Cherry Tree provides a child's unique point of view on the death of a loved one. Naseem Hrab captures the stream of conscious nature of children and provides opportunities for families who are faced with loss in a way that honors those special relationships in our lives. I found the illustrations to be beautiful and to support well the content of the book.