Eleven words for love A journey through Arabic expressions of love

We all know that language can be nuanced, but the idea of there being 11 different words for 11 different sorts of love is simply delightful. "There are eleven words for love, and my family knows them all," the unseen narrator announces, and then proceeds to describe each one, providing the word in large Arabic script along with an English pronunciation guide and a poetic description. There is the love between friends, al-Wud; the love for beloved ones no longer living, al-Haneen; and al-Shaghaf, the kind of love that sweeps you off your feet. Vibrant pastel illustrations from Clarke add depth and context, depicting love among intergenerational, biological, and chosen families. Eleven Words for Love can be described as a bilingual concept book and can be integrated creatively in writing, SEL, and art activities. Can be paired thematically with Matt de la Peña and Loren Long's Love (2018).

A Palestinian family connects their past and present to 11 Arabic terms that express various types of love. The family flees their homeland with a rainbow-colored suitcase full of photo albums. They settle in a new place, and as their child looks through the photographs, the little one relates them to different Arabic expressions. An image of the child greeting another youngster is paired with the word al-Wud (the "sunshine-warm friendship that grows and glows after two people meet"). A wedding picture of the parents is accompanied by the term al-Ishq (a passionate love that unites two souls). A photo of an older relative is paired with al-Haneen, a sad love for those gone too soon, and an image of two people by the Dome of the Rock is accompanied by the term showq--a love that "yearns to touch homeland-heartland soil one last time." Alongside the lyrical definitions of love, the textured, bright, collagelike illustrations beautifully chronicle the family's journey. The photographs of cherished memories are deftly interwoven alongside scenes of the characters building a new life as they explore their new surroundings, meet new friends and neighbors, and connect with faraway relatives. Relying on cultural touches such as a keffiyeh that one character wears, the story offers a glimpse into the lives of a Palestinian family uprooted from their home. A tender tale of love and remembrance. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.