Banana Dream

Praise

★ “This vibrantly illustrated picture book introduces children to the toll of war through a relatable experience: learning the meaning of one’s name. Mooz emerges as a fully formed, layered character, while the Iraq setting is richly drawn. The stylized artwork has an appropriately dreamy feel in places. What’s in a name? Plenty, as this clever and poignant tale makes clear.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“A good picture book choice for libraries needing stories to help young readers build empathy and understanding of other cultures as well as connecting to their own experiences.”—School Library Journal

“Mooz makes a cheerful, appealing narrator. . . . The mix of digital, charcoal, and pencil art easily complements Mooz’s narrative approach, with vibrant colors and dynamic textures energizing scenes, while small visual cues—an “out of stock sign” and a war report on the television—place Mooz’s experience within the upheaval of Iraq at that time”—The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books