A Map for Falasteen

Starred review from August 1, 2024
A young girl turns to her family members to help her answer the question, "Why isn't Palestine on the map?" Falasteen and her schoolmates sit around a world map searching for their countries of origin. When Falasteen asks why she can't find Palestine, her teacher responds, "I think there's no such place." A concerned Falasteen goes home after school, eager for answers. Her grandfather, grandmother, and mother each provide a response that tells her family's story and strengthens her sense of identity. Drawing inspiration from her own grandmother's experience of displacement in 1967, the author tells a poignant story of longing and sadness mixed with a persistent hope for a return to a historic homeland and reunification with family. The book is notable for both its honesty and its sensitivity on the topics of "settler colonialism" (a term defined in the backmatter) and expulsion. Incorporating cultural touchstones such as spinach pies and the winding branches of olive trees, Betawi's delicately beautiful illustrations evoke nostalgia for a place dear to Falasteen and her family's hearts. Odeh walks a fine line, framing her story in a way that young readers will readily understand while never sugarcoating difficult realities. Her book fills a gap in representations of the Palestinian diaspora, offering a much-needed insider's perspective. The author's note provides vital personal and historical context, making this an invaluable teaching tool. A haunting, powerful, and crucial tale of culture and identity. (resources for adults)(Picture book. 5-10)

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Starred review from August 19, 2024
Curly-haired Falasteen knows her family is Palestinian, but after her teacher asks students to point out on a map where their family is from, she can’t find Palestine. When she asks why, her teacher responds, “I think there’s no such place.” Back home, Falasteen asks her grandfather the same question. On a notebook page, “he drew little circles and gave life to cities and villages with names she had not heard before.” He hands her the map, saying, “Your teacher needs teaching... your friends can learn too.” Other family members offer more details about the family’s history. Her grandmother describes how she herself ran, carrying Falasteen’s mother and the family’s house key, when soldiers arrived. Mama adds, “There are people who say it doesn’t exist. That we don’t exist. But their maps can’t erase us.” Betawi renders Falasteen’s immediate
surroundings in yellows and oranges that give way to deep-blue remembrances, while Odeh sensitively narrates this double debut about a family’s culture and homeland. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from October 1, 2024
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* When the teacher asks her students to point to the map of the world and talk about where their families are from, Falasteen cannot find Palestine on it. The teacher tells her she thinks "there's no such place." Thus begins a search that will resonate with thousands of children and the adults who will be forced to confront the question "Why isn't Palestine on the map?" Falasteen turns to the adults in her life--a loving intergenerational community--who are prepared with accessible yet realistic explanations about their homeland and history. (More information can be found in the back matter.) The illustrations add specific details, such as a prayer mat, framed photos, and scenes of forced displacement of families. One particularly powerful image depicts a woman carrying her home on her back. While Falasteen learns of the destruction of Palestine, she also learns that she can turn to people and experiences to find the country itself: it's in a key from their old home, the bread that Teta bakes, the beat of the dabke drum, and most importantly, it's in the people who survive and thrive. With descriptive text and beautiful illustrations, this timely book is heavy with sadness yet buoyed by hope. A powerful read-aloud that will invite important discussions.

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