Rashin Kheiriyeh

Newly arrived in New York City with her Iranian immigrant family, a young girl named Rashin is excited for her first trip to an American beach. She has wonderful memories of going to the beach in Iran, on the Caspian Sea, and wonders what it will be like at Coney Island. In Iran there were separate sections of the beach for men and women, and a wonderful saffron ice cream that Rashin and her best friend enjoyed. What would the rules be in America, and would there be saffron ice cream? show more Although things were different in this new place, with different rules, some things, like the joy of friendship and the pleasure of swimming in the sea, were the same...

A sweet immigrant story about both the differences and similarities between life in one's country of origin and country of adoption, Saffron Ice Cream pairs an engaging text with bright, appealing illustrations. Although I myself would object strongly to a segregated beach, I appreciated the fact that, to a young child like Rashin - perhaps the author herself, when she was a girl? - what stands out in her memory is the fun she had with her friend Azadeh. Although not the focus of the story, and perhaps not even intended by the author, the aspect of this story that I found particularly moving, reading as an adult, was that in New York the heroine's family could finally all sit together at the beach. I also greatly appreciated the artwork, done in oil and acrylic paint on handmade paper. Recommended to anyone looking for new picture-books about the immigrant experience, or children's stories featuring Iranian-Americans. show less

This is a touching, fun tale, which invites to smiles while learning about the legend behind Nowruz and the new year festival.

Nane Sarma can't wait to meet with her friend, Uncle Nowruz, every year when he passes by to introduce the beginning of spring. She always prepares everything with care and concern. But for some reason, she always sleeps through his visit. So, her three grandchildren decide to help out and prepare everything with her, but they forget one of the required seven items! show more Nane Sarma isn't sure what to do, but this may not be the biggest problem after all.

This is an inviting tale, which lures in thanks to the characters. Nane Sarma (who is actually winter) is an adorable grandmother, and her kindness immediately wins over. It's inspiring and warming to watch her grandchildren do their best to prepare for the festival. The scenes pack energy and fun, while offering details which add cultural goodness. The entire festival seems exciting and will have readers wishing they could join in as well. Even Nane Sarma's 'mishap', which is a bitter-sweet, hits just right to touch the heart and hope things will change the next year. It's a grabbing read with a smooth flowing tale,

The illustrations are bright and bold, and carry a touch of traditional feel while sliding into the Persian culture. They offer visual details surrounding the clothes, lifestyle and more, while letting the story take over with fairytale flair. The text makes for a lovely read aloud or works nicely for readers, who are sure of their words. show less

Young Rashin recalls the time she spent at the beach with her family in Iran while embarking on her first trip to Coney Island after emigrating to New York.

This book, based on the author's own experiences, is lovely and captures very nicely the hopefulness and trepidation of being a new immigrant. Rashin longs for certain things she misses from her native country while looking forward to different experiences in her new home. She recalls past friendships and seeks out additional ones.

The show more illustrations are a bit more loose and impressionistic than I might usually prefer, but they seem to fit pretty well with the largely upbeat nature of the book. show less

It seems that the author was reminiscing about her own experiences, but the details given would create a lot of questions for kids without any cultural background, and difficulty for adults who may have limited knowledge of Iranian culture. The illustrations are bright and mostly cheerful (except for the problematic black-clad Islamic beach guards, who are not explained well and cast a gloomy shadow on the pages they are on with angry expressions on their faces.) I could definitely see that show more this may be how the author remembers her childhood, but presenting this picture (and not caring, happy women wearing the hijab) seems to cast the entire culture in an unfair negative light. show less