Zuni and the Memory Jar

by Aisha Saeed, Neha Rawat (Illustrator)

Overview

A joyful picture book about celebrating everyday moments of fun, beauty, and wonder, from New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed

Meet Zuni. She's sweet, silly, ever-so-charming, and full of bright ideas. Her family has a memory jar. Anytime someone in the family does something important, they mark those moments through notes and photos stored in the jar and share those memories together at the end of the year.

Her parents tell Zuni that when she grows up, she’ll have important memories to share, too, like graduations, and milestones, and trophies. But Zuni is already making memories! And at the end of the year, her family gets to see the moments that made an impact on little Zuni.

A deceptively simple story for young and old alike, Zuni and the Memory Jar is a reminder to celebrate everyday joys in life along with the grand achievements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593618950
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/11/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	297,640
Product dimensions:	11.38(w) x 8.81(h) x 0.33(d)
Lexile:	AD690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Aisha Saeed's novels include the New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Written in the Stars, Yes No Maybe So (with Becky Albertalli), Diana and the Island of No Return, and Forty Words for Love, and her picture books include Bilal Cooks Daal and The Together Tree. She is a Pakistani American writer, teacher, and attorney. She has been featured on MTV, the Huffington Post, NBC and the BBC. As one of the founding members of the We Need Diverse Books campaign, she is helping change the conversation about representation in literature. Aisha lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and sons. Find her online at www.aishasaeed.com.

Neha Rawat is an award-winning children’s book illustrator from India. She spent a few years working as an engineer before her passion for art and visual storytelling led her to specialize in children's illustration. Neha can be found cuddling dogs, doing yoga, and hiking when not working in her studio. Visit Neha online at nrbstudio.in

Editorial Reviews

05/20/2024

A family’s way of reflecting on the year encourages Zuni, youngest of three, to make memories in this sunny tale. When Mama arrives home with a big glass jar, she explains that it will hold items associated with special moments. As Zuni’s family adds mementos from their achievements—a winning soccer goal, a successful piano recital—Zuni is told that “someday” her moment will come, too. When the jar is opened, it reveals each individual’s recollections—and the way Zuni has made the most of notable everyday events. Saeed’s slice-of-life-oriented text highlights each signpost, while Rawat’s digital illustrations capture Zuni’s no less significant contributions alongside those of her family. An author’s note concludes. Zuni’s family cues as being of South Asian heritage. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Zuni and the Memory Jar By Aisha Saeed; Illustrated by Neha Rawat:

Zuni’s story is expertly paced, elegantly written, and perfectly plotted… A superbly original picture book that celebrates memories big and small.
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
 
Saeed’s slice-of-life-oriented text highlights each signpost, while Rawat’s digital illustrations capture Zuni’s no less significant contributions alongside those of her family.
—Publisher’s Weekly
 
Charming illustrations provide expression and visual details. Teachers and parents might be inspired to create their own versions of memory jars for children to collect special moments in time.
—Booklist

Beautiful illustrations… this heartwarming picture book will remind young readers that it’s sometimes life’s little moments that mean the most.
— School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/21/2024

PreS-Gr 2—Saeed (The Together Tree) and Rawat (Masala Chai) team up for a sweet picture book about appreciating the small things that one day become big things. Zuni's family has a memory jar for special notes and photos about important events. It's where her older brother Adam places a photo of his game-winning goal from soccer and her older sister Sophie puts the program from her piano recital, but Zuni doesn't have anything to offer. After Nani places a blue ribbon from her prize-winning quilt in the jar, she says "Just watch, Zuni Zoo! Someday you'll have ribbons, too." Rawat's beautiful illustrations show Zuni busily drawing in her notebook, and when it's time to open the jar on December 31, Zuni reveals her notebook full of her own memories from each of the special events already noted in the jar including serving water at her mother's race and stopping a soccer ball while playing with friends during her brother's game. The colorful artwork and detail in Zuni's facial expressions help spread the joyful lesson. Author's note includes information on how their family uses a similar jar. VERDICT A first purchase: this heartwarming picture book will remind young readers that it's sometimes life's little moments that mean the most, and classrooms may want to have their own jars for memorable moments in a school year.—Carrie Voliva

School Library Journal