Memory Garden

K-Gr 2–The memoir of a young girl and her time spent in her garden with her grandmother. Nana shares stories of the garden she remembers from her home country when she was her granddaughter’s age. Nana describes the fragrance of the flowers; they dig in the dirt, feeling the soil that nurtures the plants. Nana explains the use of water from the thundering stream near their home to water the plants, and that while they are enjoying apples for a snack, back in her home country, they had cherries, apricots, and pomegranates. Nana hopes that the memories she makes with her granddaughter while they are planting together will stay with her forever. The illustrations perfectly match the story as it is being told. During flashbacks, Ghahremani uses other colors as background to differentiate the past from the present. All the illustrations are hand-painted gouache on vellum. Curves throughout the drawings provide a feeling of dynamism within the gardens; elements of expressionism not only show movement but also give a dreamy stamp to the memories. The author’s note addresses how Ghahremani used the five senses as a way to bring to life her family’s Persian background. The illustrator’s note by the author’s daughter further explains how she used Persian culture in her choices of the vibrant colors and images she created.