Review by Booklist Review
Yaffa and Fatima are neighbors in the Land of Milk and Honey, where each tends her own date grove. Every day they pick and sell their dates, cook and share tasty foods, and pray to God Yaffa in the synagogue and Fatima in the mosque. When hard times come, they worry about the other's welfare, and when they realize that each has been secretly sharing with the other, they are grateful for their friendship. Inspired by traditional Jewish and Arab tales that usually feature brothers, as in Neil Waldman's The Two Brothers: A Legend of Jerusalem (1997), this female-oriented story is told in folkloric style, adding a multicultural emphasis not present in the originals. Yaffa and Fatima both observe their own cultural and linguistic traditions, but that never prevents them from appreciating their differences and caring about the other. Fedele's artwork features earth tones (appropriate to the arid climate) accented in teal (for Yaffa) and red (for Fatima). A timeless story, this tale makes its point without ever becoming didactic.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Gilani-Williams adapts a traditionally male-centered folktale with both Jewish and Arab roots to focus on a Jewish woman (Yaffa) and a Muslim woman (Fatima), who are neighbors and friends. Both women's daily lives reveal their similarities and their compassion, particularly during a poor harvest. Fedele's evocative illustrations use texture and color (mainly red, blue, and brown) to introduce a distant land and distinct cultures. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this retelling of a tale rooted in both Jewish and Arab traditions, two neighbors are friends despite perceived religious tensions of the community.Yaffa and Fatima both own date groves right next door to each other. They share meals and talk and laugh. When Fatima sees Yaffa on the street, she waves and calls, "Salaam! Peace!" Yaffa waves back and calls, "Shalom! Peace!" The text becomes a list of differences between the two women. Yaffa prays in a synagogue. Fatima prays in a mosque. Fatima celebrates Eid. Yaffa celebrates Passover. Fatima is clad in a burgundy hijab, while Jaffa has a deep teal headscarf. Those two colors, set against a neutral backdrop, lightly accent the women's everyday surroundings as well. The tones are carefully placed to distinguish the two women but are also included in ancillary details to begin to build a feeling of unity. Gilani-Williams never distinctly references any conflictin fact, even the Israeli setting is not specifically mentioned, only to call it the "Land of Milk and Honey." But readers can tell, because differences very much define the women's relationship, that they are overcoming some sort of obstacle in being friends. A subtle, visually arresting introduction to ethnic relations. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
