Sitti's Secrets

Sitti's Secrets

by Naomi Shihab Nye ; llustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Mona’s grandmother, her Sitti, lives in a small Palestinian village on the other side of the earth. Once, Mona went to visit her. They couldn’t speak each other’s language, so they made up their own. They learned about each other’s worlds, and they discovered each other’s secrets. Then it was time for Mona to go back home, back to the other side of the earth. But even though there were millions of miles and millions of people between them, they remained true neighbors forever.

"A story about connections that serves as a thoughtful, loving affirmation of the bonds that transcend language barriers, time zones, and national borders." - School Library Journal 

"There are too few books like this one about Arabs and Arab Americans as people." - Booklist

About the Author - Naomi Shihab Nye

My own Sitti lived in a Palestinian village in the beautiful green hills north of Jerusalem. I didn't meet her until I was fourteen years old, older than Mona in this book. We lived near her for a year, then went back to see her many times. She got very happy when people came to see her and awfully sad when they left. She couldn't understand why people had to live so far apart sometimes. 

I love the word "Sitti" for Grandma in Arabic...If grandmas ran the world, I don't think we would have any wars. 

Product Information

Language: English

Publisher: Aladdin

Paperback: 32 pages

Publication Date: 1997

Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8

ISBN: 978-0689817069