THE SWEETEST OF LEMONS

Two creative powerhouses craft a fanciful tale rooted in their Persian heritage.

All week long, a young boy in Isfahan has waited to visit his grandfather’s orchard. The drive from the city across the desert feels interminable and he sits impatiently in the back seat of his parents’ car, “sweating and staring, dry-mouthed, itching and melting, the entire forever-long way.” The family stops at their usual refueling spot, the home of a storyteller, Abbas, whom the child cajoles into unspooling a winding tale of three brothers and “a peculiar lemon tree” that each year produces one sought-after fruit, “so perfectly sweet that it cured sadness itself.” Continuing a rich pattern of incorporating elements of Iranian oral tradition into his work, award-winning author Nayeri periodically pulls back from Abbas’ tale of perseverance, bravery, and sacrifice to focus on the framing story and the young boy actively listening and engaging—and eager for the fantastical adventure to continue during their next visit. Eloquently written text set in striped blocks distinguishes Abbas’ narrative from the boy’s own journey, as do Bell’s elegant illustrative shifts between gouache and collage, all in resonant jewel tones and incorporating Persian motifs. Notes from both the author and illustrator detail their deep personal connections to this work, which will have immediate appeal to road-tripping families and anyone with roots in the region.

Impeccably woven.