Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love by Randa Abdel-Fattah, illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The first few wordless pages show a family leaving their homeland with rainbow-colored suitcases.  In their new home, the girl opens one of the suitcases and leafs through a photo album.  The pictures depict different types of love, expressed through eleven Arabic words.  Each is described with a rhyming couplet: “There’s sunshine-warm friendship that glows and grows after two people meet (al-Wud)/And love that comes like a sudden breeze, sweeping you off your feet (al-Hawa).”  In between, the refrain is repeated, “There are eleven words for love, and my family knows them all,” with the last page reading, “There are eleven words for love, and I love that my family knows them all.”  40 pages; ages 5-9.

Pros:  Warm, colorful illustrations illuminate this celebration of love in its many forms of a Palestinian family that has fled home to start life in a new place.

Cons:  I wish there had been some context notes either at the beginning or the end.  The only reason I know this is a Palestinian family is from reading reviews.

One thought on “Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love by Randa Abdel-Fattah, illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke

  1. Your commentary on ‘Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love’ is a captivating and insightful exploration of the nuances in expressing love within the Arabic language. Your eloquent review showcases a deep appreciation for cultural richness and linguistic diversity. Well done on providing a compelling glimpse into the beauty of love through this literary journey.

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