PBParty Entry #4 : Welcome Home

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GENRE: *Diverse, Contemporary

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WORDS: 558

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Query:

Dear Agent/Editor,

I am delighted to share my picture book, WELCOME HOME. The 558-word story follows Yussef, a young child yearning to connect with his ancestral homeland, and it is inspired by my experiences growing up in America as the child of Iraqi immigrants.

Yussef has heard stories about Iraq for as long as he can remember, and he’s heartbroken to learn that it isn’t safe for his family to return for a visit. Luckily, Nana is there to guide him on an imaginative journey to her homeland. Past and present interweave as Yussef discovers that Iraq can be found in the rhythm of a tabla or a bite of leban, and that home might not be as far away as he thought. The intergenerational bond, celebration of cultural identity, and exploration of the Iraqi immigrant experience will resonate with fans of I’LL GO AND COME BACK by Rajani LaRocca and WHERE ARE YOU FROM? by Yamile Saied Méndez.

WELCOME HOME won the 2023 SCBWI Illinois Many Voices prize, and I was proud to be selected as a picture book mentee in the 2022 We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program. The manuscript also received an honorable mention in the 2022 PBParty annual contest (under a different name) and was named a 2022 Kate Dopirak Craft and Community Award honoree.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Excerpt:

“Ahlan!” Nana trumpets, welcoming me with open arms.
I try to remember what to say in Arabic, but before I can blink, Nana scoops me up and plants three kisses on my cheeks. She says the third is for good luck.
Even though Nana lives nearby, going to her house is like going somewhere far away. My parents love it – they say it’s like being back home.

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What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:

This story is inspired by my experiences growing up in America as the child of Iraqi immigrants. Unfortunately, I have never been to Iraq. Though it is a place that looms large in the hearts of my parents and grandparents, political circumstances have prevented my family from visiting.

I hope one day I’ll be able to take my son there so we can see where our family comes from, but in the meantime, WELCOME HOME serves as my window into the place my parents called home.