ROSE WEAVES A GARDEN

Seven-year-old Rose and her beloved grandfather make a Persian rug.

Brown-skinned Rose and Baba joon live in a “city so old, they call it ancient,” marked by gilded minarets. Each morning, Baba joon makes rugs at a factory; in the afternoon, he makes rugs for friends and family. Rose wants to learn, too, so Baba joon shows her how. After they dye yarn using poppies, saffron, roses, and indigo, Baba joon teaches Rose to weave on the loom, tying one of the many thousands of knots that make up a rug. Like the rugs that he makes using a machine at the factory, the ones he creates at home by hand have elegant, intricate floral patterns—but these are even more kaleidoscopic. When Baba joon falls ill, Rose continues working on their rug on her own, channeling his expertise as her own skills develop. When they dance together on their finished rug, which features an image of them both in a garden, it’s a triumph of intergenerational connection. This tribute to an ancient craft that continues into the present demonstrates that a handmade object is truly irreplaceable. Inspired by Kheiriyeh’s childhood in Iran, the art is saturated with both pigment and feeling. Rose’s family brims with warmth and creativity; readers will revel in the opportunity to spend time with them.

A loving familial tale with deep roots.