Customer Reviews

Sitti's Secrets (Aladdin Picture Books)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an amazing book. While superficially it is a gentle childrens tale about a girl living in two cultures, it is, on another level, tremendously emotive. I am not given to being affected emotionally by poetry or films, but when reading this book to my daughter for the first time, I choked up halfway through and was unable to finish it until after I took a break. It is not sad,but really works at a deep level to evoke long dormant emotions. A truly 'magical' book-great illustrations, too.We have bought twenty or more copies of this book for family, friends, libraries...

I knew I'd love this book before I received it just from its description. It tells the story, based on the true-life experience of the author, of Mona, a little girl brought up in America in a Palestinian family who visits her parents' homeland in Palestine. She and her grandma (siti in Arabic) grow close although they do not speak the same language. I felt sad that this little girl had not received the rich gift of the language of her heritage. I taught my children to speak Spanish as their first language though I am American and we live in the USA. It is a gift I could not deny them as their fathers are of Hispanic origin. I never wanted them to find themselves in such a situation as little Mona, longing to share things with her distant family but struggling because of the barrier of language. With her grandma and with the neighborhood Arab children, Mona finds her own way of communicating and learns that sometimes it is not necessary to share a language to be able to share special moments with others.
This book depicts the peaceful life of a family in Palestine amid the turmoil that they have endured, but very subtly. When the little girl returns home, she writes a letter to the American president expressing her wish for peace and adds that she knows her grandma wishes the same. Each night, as she falls asleep, she connects with her grandma who she misses by thinking of the sun that leaves her side of the world now warming the land where her grandma lives. I wish we could all feel a connection with every human being on this earth as being just a sunrise away.

I bought Sitti's Secret about 10 years ago in D.C. I have read it to every one of my four children's kindergarten classes, crying each time. It shows the love of family and the misunderstanding of the world. The art work and the deepness of words are outstanding. I just read it to my youngest child's class and the emotions swelled again.

I read this book to my 7th graders when we studied Palestine and Isreal in social studies class. It touches on many issues such as differences and similarities, cultures, environment, and politics. I recommend it to all that are trying to make our world smaller and wiser.

This book was published in 1994 during the "peace process" overseen by President Clinton. My daughter was 6 years old---she is now 23 and it was one of her favorite books. The protagonist, a young American girl visiting her "Sitti" (grandmother) in Palestine for the first time gains cultural exposure to her father's country and family. At the end of the story she writes a sweet letter beginning "Dear Mr. President" and wishes him luck in his quest for peace in the region. It is telling that it is now 2011 and the letter could have just as easily been written to President Obama since nothing has been accomplished in securing peace. I purchased this book and hand delivered it to one of our Congressmen and asked him to pass it on to President Obama with a request that he make peace and justice for the Palestinians a priority. The illustrations and sentiments in the story are beautiful and touching and convey the values that we all should be instilling in our children---human rights and the humanity of all people. This book won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award (WILPF).

Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Simon & Schuster, 1994.

When Mona travels from her home in the United States to visit her grandmother's small Palestinian village, she must rely on her father to translate at first, but soon she and Sitti are communicating perfectly. With a childlike sense of wonder, Mona relates some of the sights, sounds and tastes she is introduced to, as well as "the secrets" she learns from spending time in the wise, elderly woman's company. Wonderful collages deftly serve the poetic text from the Poet Laureate of Texas! A story about connections that serve as thoughtful, loving affirmations of the, bonds that transcend language barriers, time zones and national borders.

Teachers/Librarians K-6th grades. Speaks to every child separated from grandparents (and that's most of the children in our classrooms) by distance - and in this case, language too.

This book is an absolutely amazing literary work, as the words are so powerful and flow together so naturally. Not only does it tell an intriguing generational and cultural story for children, but reaches to the depths of any woman who has a "tayta" or "sitti" and their relationship of unconditional love and warmth.
I saw the title and took the book out with my daughters in the school library and we read it before bed. I got to the end, and the tears just started to flow as I remembered my grandmother, Jamilie, who looked a lot like the woman in the book. The most powerful picture is at the end with the sky and stars. This illustration shows how strongly our bonds are and how our spirits are always connected. Another poignant part of the book was when the girl wrote a letter to the president talking about peace. The author found such a gentle way to advocate for the Middle Eastern people. I had to call my aunt and talk to her about this book....we shared our memories as we always do, we cried and laughed, and remembered that a good children's book is not always just for children.

This book is very touching, especially for children who have a grandparent that lives far away. It also helps children & grown-ups learn more about people from a different culture. I highly recommend this book, as would my 3 year-old attentive daughter. I've also given this as a gift to a 6 year-old and she really enjoyed it as well.

I admit, I don't know too much about Palestinian culture aside from a highschool MUN event, but I was touched and appreciative of this book that combines modern and old culture as well as that wonderful bond of sisterhood between generations. The illustrations are gorgeous.

My kids liked it and the message is beautiful. The ending is somewhat lost on younger children but may be a good discussion book for third grade and up.