WHERE BUTTERFLIES FILL THE SKY

In this fictionalized memoir, a child whose family experiences forced migration moves between two homes.

Zahra loves where she came from, a land with traditions tied to the sea and a place where relatives are closely connected. Despite sharing a culture with those around them, people tell them they do not belong on that land. When her parents decide to leave for a better place, Zahra does not understand why. She is bored and lonely in her new country and feels different from everyone there. Eventually, she comes to love her new home, a land with traditions that are magical in their own ways and a place where she can stay in touch with her family abroad. The names of locations, the reasons behind the events, and stories linked to some of the illustrations are detailed in the backmatter. The author’s two homes were New Mexico and Kuwait, from which her family moved due to being “stateless” and discriminated against (despite having lived in Kuwait for generations). While some readers may feel that revealing the details only in the backmatter moves the plot toward the universal, others may regret that the information there was not integrated into the story itself. The affectionate text is accompanied by traditionally created watercolor illustrations, the palette conveying the feel and beauty of the places featured in the book.

A valuable insight into the world of immigration and displacement.