Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama.

All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers at the Welcome Center are happy to lend a hand—and a sprinkle of sumac.

With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances.

DANNY RAMADAN is an award-winning Syrian-Canadian author, activist, and public speaker. His work as an activist has helped provide a safe passage to dozens of Syrian LGBTQ+ refugees to Canada. He is the author of two novels for adults, The Clothesline Swing and The Foghorn Echoes, and a forthcoming memoir, Crooked Teeth. Danny lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Danny Ramadan's profile page

Anna Bron is an illustrator based out of Vancouver, Canada. She studied traditional hand-drawn animation at Sheridan College and upon graduation embarked on a manifold freelance career, producing award winning children’s picture books, as well as directing and designing numerous short animated films. Her love of the wilderness runs deep in her family, her parents having first met in the Siberian woods. She grew up sleeping in snow caves, climbing mountains, and canoeing rivers and lakes. When she is not drawing, she is exploring the coast mountains of British Colombia. She lives with her partner and two budgies.

Anna Bron's profile page

“[A] sweet (and savory) tale of community, family, and friendship.” —Foreword Reviews, 03/20

Foreword Reviews

“This beautiful story grasps diversity, exploring resilience, love, friendship, and the meaning of home.” —Kirkus Reviews, *starred review, 01/26/20

Kirkus Reviews

“The bright and expressive illustrations by Bron bring the story to life and will draw in readers of all ages. This is a book to read again and again with children in schools and in homes.” —Teaching Social Justice with Children’s Books, 11/25/19

Teaching Social Justice with Children’s Books

“Salma is deeply relatable in her determination, frustration, and sensitivity, especially in moments when things do not go as planned. Bron’s illustration style is realistic but brightly expressive . . . she also employs subtle geometric borders that feel directly inspired by Islamic art, which effectively link Salma’s past and present homes.” —Quill & Quire, *starred review, 01/20

Quill & Quire

“A strong book about the emotional side of a child immigrant’s experience.” —The Ladybug Reads, 12/09/19

The Ladybug Reads