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Salma #0.5
Salma, die syrische Köchin
All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers at the Welcome Center are happy to lend a hand—and a sprinkle of sumac.
With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances.
With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances.
50 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2020
About the author
Danny Ramadan
21 books266 followersDanny Ramadan (He/Him) is a Syrian-Canadian author, public speaker and adovate for LGBTQ+ refugees. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, was shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, longlisted for Canada Reads, and named a Best Book of the Year by the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star.
His children book, Salma the Syrian Chef, won the Nautilus Book Award, The Middle East Book Award, and named a Best Book by both Kirkus and School Library Journal.
Ramadan’s forthcoming novel, The Foghorn Echoes (2022), and his memoir, Crooked Teeth (2024), to be released by Penguin Random House.
Through his fundraising efforts, Ramadan raised over $250,000 for Syrian LGBTQ+ identifying refugees.
He has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and currently lives in Vancouver with his husband.
His children book, Salma the Syrian Chef, won the Nautilus Book Award, The Middle East Book Award, and named a Best Book by both Kirkus and School Library Journal.
Ramadan’s forthcoming novel, The Foghorn Echoes (2022), and his memoir, Crooked Teeth (2024), to be released by Penguin Random House.
Through his fundraising efforts, Ramadan raised over $250,000 for Syrian LGBTQ+ identifying refugees.
He has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and currently lives in Vancouver with his husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
May 4, 2020
Salma the Syrian Chef is a wonderful picture book that is an absolute delight!
These are the types of books I needed when I was little. Reading the same old picture books over and over got boring, but books like THESE would have had me thrilled and excited. As an adult, I can appreciate them even more. Diversity in children's literature is a must these days! I'm so glad to see a book like this out and about!
Salma lives in Vancouver (Yay! Canada!) but previously lived in Syrian. Her Father will be coming to Canada soon, but for now it's just her and her Mama. Salma wants to make Mama happy, and she knows just the way! She could make some Syrian food for Mama. With a little help from her friends, Salma sets herself on a mission to brighten up her Mama's day because she can't fix the bigger problems.
My heart is SINGING. This book is so sweet and such a wonderful tale. I can't talk highly enough about this book! It has to find a bigger audience because it is just so lovely! The heart and soul within this book is just magical. I highly recommend this book, in fact, I can't recommend it enough! Adults and children alike will love this sweet story.
This story is for a bit older group - at least grade ones. This book has a wonderful little plot and tells a beautiful story. It's not just pretty pictures and simple words. There's excellent sentence structure and a really well thought out plot. I applaud Danny Ramadan, I'm impressed!
Five out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
These are the types of books I needed when I was little. Reading the same old picture books over and over got boring, but books like THESE would have had me thrilled and excited. As an adult, I can appreciate them even more. Diversity in children's literature is a must these days! I'm so glad to see a book like this out and about!
Salma lives in Vancouver (Yay! Canada!) but previously lived in Syrian. Her Father will be coming to Canada soon, but for now it's just her and her Mama. Salma wants to make Mama happy, and she knows just the way! She could make some Syrian food for Mama. With a little help from her friends, Salma sets herself on a mission to brighten up her Mama's day because she can't fix the bigger problems.
My heart is SINGING. This book is so sweet and such a wonderful tale. I can't talk highly enough about this book! It has to find a bigger audience because it is just so lovely! The heart and soul within this book is just magical. I highly recommend this book, in fact, I can't recommend it enough! Adults and children alike will love this sweet story.
This story is for a bit older group - at least grade ones. This book has a wonderful little plot and tells a beautiful story. It's not just pretty pictures and simple words. There's excellent sentence structure and a really well thought out plot. I applaud Danny Ramadan, I'm impressed!
Five out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
January 3, 2025
[Ahhh! Mal wieder voll vergessen, @meine Berlin peeps: dieses Kinderbuch gibt es zur Zeit in der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, entweder für umme oder für 5€, je nachdem, ob ihr befreit seid oder nicht. Lohnt sich!]
Synopsis: "All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers in her Welcome Home are happy to lend a hand—and a sprinkle of sumac. With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances."
This children's picture book was simply amazing. The illustrations are SO FRIGGIN' CUTE and the text and message were awesome as well. I was positively surprised by some of the lyricism of the text, e.g. "Mamas Lachen hat sich angehört wie die Glocken an den Fahrrädern der älteren Jungs." or "Salma fühlt sich nutzlos wie ein Regenschirm in einem Land ohne Regen."
Another thing that's super neat is that the setting of the story is altered depending on which translation you read. In the original English, the story is set in Vancoucer, Canada; in my German translation, it is set in Hamburg, Germany, and so in my version, Salma is learning German (not English) and some of the names are changed as well to fit better – probably to make it more relatable to young readers here. Super cool. I can definitely see myself reading this book to my nephews one day. The illustrations are alone are worth the read and provide a lot of food for discussion. Themes of alienation and belonging might be a little bit hard to understand for a 3-year-old, so the sweet spot should be for kids around ages 5-7.
(This technically deserves 5 stars for what it is – a children's picture book intended for children (!) to read – but the cold-hearted adult in me reserves five stars for my personal top favorites. I know it's not fair.)
Synopsis: "All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers in her Welcome Home are happy to lend a hand—and a sprinkle of sumac. With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances."
This children's picture book was simply amazing. The illustrations are SO FRIGGIN' CUTE and the text and message were awesome as well. I was positively surprised by some of the lyricism of the text, e.g. "Mamas Lachen hat sich angehört wie die Glocken an den Fahrrädern der älteren Jungs." or "Salma fühlt sich nutzlos wie ein Regenschirm in einem Land ohne Regen."
Another thing that's super neat is that the setting of the story is altered depending on which translation you read. In the original English, the story is set in Vancoucer, Canada; in my German translation, it is set in Hamburg, Germany, and so in my version, Salma is learning German (not English) and some of the names are changed as well to fit better – probably to make it more relatable to young readers here. Super cool. I can definitely see myself reading this book to my nephews one day. The illustrations are alone are worth the read and provide a lot of food for discussion. Themes of alienation and belonging might be a little bit hard to understand for a 3-year-old, so the sweet spot should be for kids around ages 5-7.
(This technically deserves 5 stars for what it is – a children's picture book intended for children (!) to read – but the cold-hearted adult in me reserves five stars for my personal top favorites. I know it's not fair.)
December 9, 2019
Salma the Syrian Chef is a sweet story about the immigrant experience.
Salma and her mother live temporarily in the Welcome Center in Vancouver with a number of other immigrants. Salma is trying to adjust to her new life, but she's aware that her mother is busy and distracted. In fact, it's been a long time since Salma has heard her mother laugh. She thinks that if she can bring a little taste of home to Canada, it might help... so she sets out to make foul shami. Not knowing the language makes it tricky, but she succeeds in finding most of the ingredients. Things go well until a series of mishaps threaten the dish, and Salma wonders if her mother will ever laugh again.
I always like to see a book that's set locally, and this one has the added bonus of focusing on a subject that's current and timely. The struggles of the newcomers--especially in learning English--are highlighted, but with an undercurrent of patience and hope. Salma and her mother already have a great network of new friends who understand each other's emotions because they're all going through something similar.
The illustrations are quite cute. They have an almost retro-animation sort of style, complemented by geometric ornaments and patterns. The pictures work really well with the story.
Overall, this is a strong book about the emotional side of a child immigrant's experience. I enjoyed getting to know Salma and her friends... and learning a little bit about Syrian cooking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing a digital ARC.
Salma and her mother live temporarily in the Welcome Center in Vancouver with a number of other immigrants. Salma is trying to adjust to her new life, but she's aware that her mother is busy and distracted. In fact, it's been a long time since Salma has heard her mother laugh. She thinks that if she can bring a little taste of home to Canada, it might help... so she sets out to make foul shami. Not knowing the language makes it tricky, but she succeeds in finding most of the ingredients. Things go well until a series of mishaps threaten the dish, and Salma wonders if her mother will ever laugh again.
I always like to see a book that's set locally, and this one has the added bonus of focusing on a subject that's current and timely. The struggles of the newcomers--especially in learning English--are highlighted, but with an undercurrent of patience and hope. Salma and her mother already have a great network of new friends who understand each other's emotions because they're all going through something similar.
The illustrations are quite cute. They have an almost retro-animation sort of style, complemented by geometric ornaments and patterns. The pictures work really well with the story.
Overall, this is a strong book about the emotional side of a child immigrant's experience. I enjoyed getting to know Salma and her friends... and learning a little bit about Syrian cooking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing a digital ARC.
October 23, 2021
Rainy Vancouver is so different from sunny Damascus, Syria. As refugees, Salma and her mother are slowly adjusting. Salma wants to make her tired and sad mother laugh again. Perhaps the Syrian dish of Foul shami with the help of other refugees from around the world at the Welcome Center might elicit a joyous response. I delighted in the artwork of painted borders, pastel backgrounds, and colorful and expressive characters and dress. Shami’s recipe for this Damanascene fava bean dish with olive oil, onion, garlic, and sumac can be found at www.annickpress.com/Salma-the-Syrian-.... I just need some fava beans and sumac to start cooking.
May 5, 2021
Newly arrived in Vancouver from a Syrian refugee camp, Salma and her mother are adjusting to life in this strange place, and missing Salma's father, still back in Syria. With a new language to learn, and job training and interviews to attend, Salma's mother always seems tired and dispirited, so the young girl hatches the plan to make her favorite dish for her. But how will she find a recipe for foul shami, and once she does, how will she find the ingredients? Fortunately, some of the people at the Welcome Center where Salma and her mother are staying step in to help, and while the foul shami they produce might not be perfect, it has the most important thing of all: love...
Pairing a poignant, ultimately heartwarming tale from Danny Ramadan with lovely, expressive illustrations from Anna Bron, Salma the Syrian Chef addresses a number of important themes, from the stress and strain that newly arrived immigrants face, in their adopted countries, to the importance of staying connected to one's ancestral culture. Food is an important way of doing the latter, and the story here shows how culinary traditions can be maintained, while also sometimes morphing, given the availability of specific foods in new places. Of course, food is also an important way of connecting with family, and that too is explored here. I appreciated the fact that so many people contributed to Salma's project, and that this - the community of friends she discovers - is seen as important, in its own right. My only criticism of the book - and it is a minor point - is the use of the word "broken," when describing the Arabic spoken by Nancy, the Welcome Center volunteer. It felt particularly jarring to me, I suspect, because only a few pages before the author had described Salma's struggle to pronounce the name of her new city correctly, and he certainly didn't describe her English as "broken." Leaving that aside, this was a sweet, emotionally satisfying picture-book, one I would recommend to readers looking for children's stories about the immigrant experience, and about the importance of food in families and in cultures.
Pairing a poignant, ultimately heartwarming tale from Danny Ramadan with lovely, expressive illustrations from Anna Bron, Salma the Syrian Chef addresses a number of important themes, from the stress and strain that newly arrived immigrants face, in their adopted countries, to the importance of staying connected to one's ancestral culture. Food is an important way of doing the latter, and the story here shows how culinary traditions can be maintained, while also sometimes morphing, given the availability of specific foods in new places. Of course, food is also an important way of connecting with family, and that too is explored here. I appreciated the fact that so many people contributed to Salma's project, and that this - the community of friends she discovers - is seen as important, in its own right. My only criticism of the book - and it is a minor point - is the use of the word "broken," when describing the Arabic spoken by Nancy, the Welcome Center volunteer. It felt particularly jarring to me, I suspect, because only a few pages before the author had described Salma's struggle to pronounce the name of her new city correctly, and he certainly didn't describe her English as "broken." Leaving that aside, this was a sweet, emotionally satisfying picture-book, one I would recommend to readers looking for children's stories about the immigrant experience, and about the importance of food in families and in cultures.
December 5, 2019
This is just a beautiful story in every way. The artwork is lovely but the story itself is even more so. A little girl misses her father and her home from her new home in Vancouver with her mother. She misses her mother's smile most of all. She tries to cheer up her mother with a drawing and jokes but nothing works until she decides to cook her mother's favorite Syrian dish.
This could be an easy ending, with the girl magically figuring out how to make it and getting the ingredients and everything working out perfectly, but it isn't. Salma has all kinds of challenges, from trying to find a recipe that nobody else knows how to make to shopping for ingredients for foods she doesn't know the English words for to problems that keep happening. She gets frustrated, sad, has to make adaptations, but perseveres. She also has the help of all kinds of friends of all ages and from many countries.
Other things I really liked -- The writing is wonderful, not the generic writing that people use so often in children's books but poetic lines like, "Salma feels useless, like an umbrella in a country with no rain." Also, I love the tiny little additions that help spread diversity and show positive role models like a father walking with a baby in a carrier on his chest and the loving gay couple from Lebanon who help her chop onions.
This is ultimately such a positive story and touches on so many themes.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
This could be an easy ending, with the girl magically figuring out how to make it and getting the ingredients and everything working out perfectly, but it isn't. Salma has all kinds of challenges, from trying to find a recipe that nobody else knows how to make to shopping for ingredients for foods she doesn't know the English words for to problems that keep happening. She gets frustrated, sad, has to make adaptations, but perseveres. She also has the help of all kinds of friends of all ages and from many countries.
Other things I really liked -- The writing is wonderful, not the generic writing that people use so often in children's books but poetic lines like, "Salma feels useless, like an umbrella in a country with no rain." Also, I love the tiny little additions that help spread diversity and show positive role models like a father walking with a baby in a carrier on his chest and the loving gay couple from Lebanon who help her chop onions.
This is ultimately such a positive story and touches on so many themes.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
April 5, 2026
This darling picture book launched Danny Ramadan’s beloved series featuring a young Syrian émigrée learning to navigate her new life in British Columbia. With her father still in Damascus, both Salma and her Mama have an additional obstacle to those of other refugees: learning a new language and new city and making new friends despite cultural and language gaps. They both miss him so much that “Salma’s heart aches like a tiny fire in her chest when she thinks of Papa,” the book reads. That’s why Salma understands why her mother doesn’t smile or giggle as often.
“Maybe if Salma can make Mama laugh, Vancouver will feel a little more like home.” So begins Salma’s quest to help her mother, a quest that involves foul shami, a classic Middle Eastern breakfast of fava beans. How could a picture book bring me to tears, as this one did? Tears of joy, of course, as Salma the Syrian Chef explores how we’re all a village, helping one another and adapting, regardless of our circumstances. I love this picture book so much! And extra points for introducing so many of the characters we’ll be seeing in the chapter books that followed this gem of a picture book.
“Maybe if Salma can make Mama laugh, Vancouver will feel a little more like home.” So begins Salma’s quest to help her mother, a quest that involves foul shami, a classic Middle Eastern breakfast of fava beans. How could a picture book bring me to tears, as this one did? Tears of joy, of course, as Salma the Syrian Chef explores how we’re all a village, helping one another and adapting, regardless of our circumstances. I love this picture book so much! And extra points for introducing so many of the characters we’ll be seeing in the chapter books that followed this gem of a picture book.
February 10, 2022
4.5 STARS This is wonderful! I'm pressed for time, so read the many other excellent reviews here for all the details of what makes this so special. (I do agree with Abigail's review that the use of the term "broken Arabic" to describe the way the welcome center volunteer spoke was unfortunate, though it didn't mar the overall warmth and positive message of the book.) The sense of community, helpfulness, love was so strong in this. It was wonderful how people from all different backgrounds united to help Salma give her homesick mother a true taste of home -- no matter where you come from, food holds a special place in our hearts and memories and we can all relate to that. When we see the needs of others, our hearts can expand. Salma is strong for her mother, and her mother is strong for her -- and they have a community of supportive friends to offer additional strength when it's needed most. Everything about this is simply beautiful. Also, I've been lucky enough to visit Vancouver, B.C. a few times -- it's a lovely city, and I thought the illustrations did a nice job of portraying it. Author Danny Ramadan seems to have experience with what he writes about as he "is an award-winning Syrian-Canadian author, activist, and public speaker" who has "helped provide safe passage to dozens of Syrian LGBTQ+ refugees to Canada."
July 17, 2020
What a delightful book this is. Wonderful illustrations, sympathetic characters, and a thought-provoking premise.
Salma and her mother are refugees who have moved from Syria to Vancouver. The young girl tries everything she can to cheer up her mom, but nothing works. Then she hits on the idea to cook her mom's favorite dish from back home...
I just wish the recipe would have been included in the book! There was a link to download it, but not everyone will see that, unfortunately.
Salma and her mother are refugees who have moved from Syria to Vancouver. The young girl tries everything she can to cheer up her mom, but nothing works. Then she hits on the idea to cook her mom's favorite dish from back home...
I just wish the recipe would have been included in the book! There was a link to download it, but not everyone will see that, unfortunately.
January 29, 2020
Think back to when you were a child and you picked up a book and began to read and noticed that the illustrations looked like the place where you lived, or the setting was the same city you live in and you can picture all the places the characters go. There is a special kind of magic that takes hold when a child can see their experience reflected back from the pages of a book.
Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan and Ann Bron is a three course meal of perfection. An incredible mirror book for the many refugees coming to Canada in the last number of years and an exceptional window book for those born in Canada to understand the challenges faced by newcomers.
The appetizer course is the story’s setting at the Welcome Centre in Vancouver. Danny Ramadan, surely drawing from his own experience as a newcomer to Canada, shares with his readers the feeling of arriving in Vancouver and those early days of being totally immersed in a place that is so very different from where he came. Vancouver is rainy and colder that Syria, and Salma sees her Mom doesn’t smile as much anymore. Learning English is difficult but it’s even more challenging to not have friends who can speak the same language.
The main course is the community of people around Salma who help lift her spirits and who remind each other of the things they miss from where they were born. Food is a huge part of the human experience and can evoke many memories of family and home. Each of the new friends Salma meets misses food from where they grew up and have nostalgic feelings about the food they miss. Salma wants to make her mom smile by making foul shami, her favourite dish, so she asks for help and receives it from many other people living at the Welcome Centre. It makes her feel a bit more at home her in her new country.
The dessert is the smile on Salma’s mother’s face when she sees how Salma worked so hard to make her favourite food and the friends who all helped her accomplish her task. Salma rediscovers that home is whenever her mother is near and her mother reminds Salma she is always at home in her smile.
Danny Ramadan uses some of the most beautiful images I have read lately in a picture book. His beautiful smilies and metaphors colour the text with life and help the reader really get to the heart of how Salma is feeling in her new home.
Anna Bron’s illustrations are a delightful representation of Salma’s life. Drawing from a colour palette reminiscent of the Middle East, with beautiful tile motifs bordering the illustrations, they are a picture perfect representation of everyday life in a new city with a remembrance of what was left behind.
I’m certain this book will find its way into many classrooms and homes and will provide comfort to endless numbers of newcomers to Canada. Unfortunately it releases after I Read Canada Day because I can’t think of a book that would be more perfect to share on that day than one that celebrates family, compassion, understanding and home
Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan and Ann Bron is a three course meal of perfection. An incredible mirror book for the many refugees coming to Canada in the last number of years and an exceptional window book for those born in Canada to understand the challenges faced by newcomers.
The appetizer course is the story’s setting at the Welcome Centre in Vancouver. Danny Ramadan, surely drawing from his own experience as a newcomer to Canada, shares with his readers the feeling of arriving in Vancouver and those early days of being totally immersed in a place that is so very different from where he came. Vancouver is rainy and colder that Syria, and Salma sees her Mom doesn’t smile as much anymore. Learning English is difficult but it’s even more challenging to not have friends who can speak the same language.
The main course is the community of people around Salma who help lift her spirits and who remind each other of the things they miss from where they were born. Food is a huge part of the human experience and can evoke many memories of family and home. Each of the new friends Salma meets misses food from where they grew up and have nostalgic feelings about the food they miss. Salma wants to make her mom smile by making foul shami, her favourite dish, so she asks for help and receives it from many other people living at the Welcome Centre. It makes her feel a bit more at home her in her new country.
The dessert is the smile on Salma’s mother’s face when she sees how Salma worked so hard to make her favourite food and the friends who all helped her accomplish her task. Salma rediscovers that home is whenever her mother is near and her mother reminds Salma she is always at home in her smile.
Danny Ramadan uses some of the most beautiful images I have read lately in a picture book. His beautiful smilies and metaphors colour the text with life and help the reader really get to the heart of how Salma is feeling in her new home.
Anna Bron’s illustrations are a delightful representation of Salma’s life. Drawing from a colour palette reminiscent of the Middle East, with beautiful tile motifs bordering the illustrations, they are a picture perfect representation of everyday life in a new city with a remembrance of what was left behind.
I’m certain this book will find its way into many classrooms and homes and will provide comfort to endless numbers of newcomers to Canada. Unfortunately it releases after I Read Canada Day because I can’t think of a book that would be more perfect to share on that day than one that celebrates family, compassion, understanding and home
June 10, 2020
Love this!! (Shout out to welcome centers and libraries... shameless plug).
I read this with a colleague, and we both remarked on the same thing. I do wish there was a recipe for Foul Shami included somewhere in the book, and more Arabic vocabulary was mixed in throughout story (like the Arabic names for the ingredients Salma needed, for example). Overall, a charming book to share with families and school age children.
I read this with a colleague, and we both remarked on the same thing. I do wish there was a recipe for Foul Shami included somewhere in the book, and more Arabic vocabulary was mixed in throughout story (like the Arabic names for the ingredients Salma needed, for example). Overall, a charming book to share with families and school age children.
March 14, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was released March 10, 2020, by Annick Press Ltd.
We first meet Salma staring out her window at the rain as she tries to pronounce ‘Vancouver.’ Her entertaining struggles to get the word correct reflect the authentic challenges faced by new immigrants, refugees, and all of us trying to learn a new language. (You don't want to hear me butcher Korean.)
Salma and her mother live in an apartment in a Welcome Center in Vancouver, Canada. Life is hard, especially for Mama. Not only does she have to look after Salma, she is trying to find work and learn English. Both of them miss Papa back in Syria. Mama hardly laughs anymore, so Salma tries to cheer her up, but no matter what she does, ‘all she gets is Mama’s sad smile, full of love but empty of joy.”
At the Welcome Center daycare, Salma “draws her home back in Damascus: a yellow house with a garden surrounding it like a necklace.” While drawing she comes up with an idea for how to cheer her mother up.
If you have ever been out of the country for a while, you will know what it is to miss the flavours of home. Everyone at the center, adults and children alike, miss special food from their own cultures. For Salma, it is ‘foul shami.’ With the help of adults, she gets a recipe from the internet, goes shopping for ingredients, and proceeds to prepare her mother’s favourite dish. When it is nearly done she realizes she is missing sumac, the final ingredient. Thankfully another adult, Granny Donya, comes to the rescue. Unfortunately, there are more near disasters before it all comes together.
When presented with the final dish, Salma’s mother reminds her, and us, that home is much more than food or place, it’s about being with people you love.
Salma the Syrian Chef is a story about being forced to leave a land you love. It's about what we miss when we are away from our roots, and reminds us to be thankful for the diverse, multicultural communities we live in now.
Both the author and illustrator live here in Vancouver. A sense of place is integral to the book. It is a delight to see this city I call home presented, yet at the same time, I am conscious of Salma and others, aching for their far away places they call home. Anna Bron's vibrant art pulls all of this together. Just as Salma's Syrian culture frames her experiences in her new country, Anna Bron's Syrian style borders frame the illustrations and words in this book. They are stunning. In some places the text and illustrations are separated by additional borders. While admiring them, my fingers itched to get hold of some fabric and start making a quilt.
Go to my blog at https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2... to see a two page spread of this.
I wish I could tell you how Anna Bron creates her art but my ARC doesn't provide any details and I couldn't find anything in my internet search. However, I encourage you to go check out her website to see more of her work. I hope you can carve out time to watch her animated short films. Just Wow!
Danny Ramadan's gorgeous writing is full of swoonworthy lines. Salma is a character you won't forget for a long time. If you are looking for mentor text that highlights metaphor, look no further than this: "Salma's heart aches like a tiny fire in her chest when she thinks of Papa. She wonders if Mama's heart is burning too." After reading this, I plan to track down a copy of Danny Ramadan's first novel, The Clothesline Swing. It won all kinds of awards. I can hardly wait to get started.
I have two minor quibbles with this book. First, the text is smallish for a picture book, but that might be just because I am basing this on a digital ARC. Second, there is no recipe for foul shami in it and I can't find one online! If you are like me, you will want to make it as soon as you finish reading.
We first meet Salma staring out her window at the rain as she tries to pronounce ‘Vancouver.’ Her entertaining struggles to get the word correct reflect the authentic challenges faced by new immigrants, refugees, and all of us trying to learn a new language. (You don't want to hear me butcher Korean.)
Salma and her mother live in an apartment in a Welcome Center in Vancouver, Canada. Life is hard, especially for Mama. Not only does she have to look after Salma, she is trying to find work and learn English. Both of them miss Papa back in Syria. Mama hardly laughs anymore, so Salma tries to cheer her up, but no matter what she does, ‘all she gets is Mama’s sad smile, full of love but empty of joy.”
At the Welcome Center daycare, Salma “draws her home back in Damascus: a yellow house with a garden surrounding it like a necklace.” While drawing she comes up with an idea for how to cheer her mother up.
If you have ever been out of the country for a while, you will know what it is to miss the flavours of home. Everyone at the center, adults and children alike, miss special food from their own cultures. For Salma, it is ‘foul shami.’ With the help of adults, she gets a recipe from the internet, goes shopping for ingredients, and proceeds to prepare her mother’s favourite dish. When it is nearly done she realizes she is missing sumac, the final ingredient. Thankfully another adult, Granny Donya, comes to the rescue. Unfortunately, there are more near disasters before it all comes together.
When presented with the final dish, Salma’s mother reminds her, and us, that home is much more than food or place, it’s about being with people you love.
Salma the Syrian Chef is a story about being forced to leave a land you love. It's about what we miss when we are away from our roots, and reminds us to be thankful for the diverse, multicultural communities we live in now.
Both the author and illustrator live here in Vancouver. A sense of place is integral to the book. It is a delight to see this city I call home presented, yet at the same time, I am conscious of Salma and others, aching for their far away places they call home. Anna Bron's vibrant art pulls all of this together. Just as Salma's Syrian culture frames her experiences in her new country, Anna Bron's Syrian style borders frame the illustrations and words in this book. They are stunning. In some places the text and illustrations are separated by additional borders. While admiring them, my fingers itched to get hold of some fabric and start making a quilt.
Go to my blog at https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2... to see a two page spread of this.
I wish I could tell you how Anna Bron creates her art but my ARC doesn't provide any details and I couldn't find anything in my internet search. However, I encourage you to go check out her website to see more of her work. I hope you can carve out time to watch her animated short films. Just Wow!
Danny Ramadan's gorgeous writing is full of swoonworthy lines. Salma is a character you won't forget for a long time. If you are looking for mentor text that highlights metaphor, look no further than this: "Salma's heart aches like a tiny fire in her chest when she thinks of Papa. She wonders if Mama's heart is burning too." After reading this, I plan to track down a copy of Danny Ramadan's first novel, The Clothesline Swing. It won all kinds of awards. I can hardly wait to get started.
I have two minor quibbles with this book. First, the text is smallish for a picture book, but that might be just because I am basing this on a digital ARC. Second, there is no recipe for foul shami in it and I can't find one online! If you are like me, you will want to make it as soon as you finish reading.
September 16, 2025
Food is such an important part of culture for anyone, lowkey teared up while reading this. This is the kind of book I wanted to exist when I was a kid.
September 14, 2020
Salma and her mother are Syrian refugees living in an apartment in a Welcome Center located in Vancouver, Canada. The father is expected to arrive but as always, the ETA is unknown. The situation is precarious and her Mama is unhappy so Salma decides to make her Mama's favorite food - foul shami. But the dish requires special spices. North American spice racks aren't filled with the herbs she's used to in Syria. Nothing seems to go her way until she finds the most important and most unexpected ingredient. This week is Welcoming America Week and it's the perfect read-aloud for teachers of pre-K and those looking for diversity and cultural acceptance. Although the book takes place in Canada, it is a kid-friendly book and gives us a glimpse of Syrian culture which can be accessible to Americans and Canadians alike. A link to the foul shami recipe can be found at the very back of the book.
July 14, 2020
Salma lives in Vancouver, Canada with her mom, but her dad is still in Syria. Salma and her mom live in an apartment at the welcome center. Her mom only smiles sad smiles so Salma wants to do something to make her mom really smile. She comes up with the idea of making a traditional Syrian dish for her mom, but it isn't easy. Her new friends help her pull it together. Although the recipe isn't printed in the book, there is a link to the recipe in the back of the book.
November 10, 2020
Salma wants to see her mom smile again. The people at the Welcome Center help her do this.
A terrific book incorporating innovation, friendship, race, culture, and subtle references to refugees. Beautifully illustrated, colorful, and well written with background images of typical Arabic mosaics.
A terrific book incorporating innovation, friendship, race, culture, and subtle references to refugees. Beautifully illustrated, colorful, and well written with background images of typical Arabic mosaics.
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October 30, 2020Warm and wonderful and a little sad. There are so many shining examples of human kindness in this book, and the illustrations are amazing! A good book that makes you want to do good things.
April 22, 2021
Salma and her mother are new to Canada, and living in a Welcome Center for refugees. Although Salma is making friends and adjusting to her new life, her mother is worn out trying to make things work in their new home, and has lost her smile. Salma is determined to bring it back with a little taste of home!
This book shows so many beautiful things! Positive things like the resilience of children in tough situations, and how a community of found-family can be an asset! Difficult things like a separated family and the struggle of an unfamiliar environment full of unfamiliar things. I loved how the Welcome Center woman Nancy was described as having "broken Arabic" instead of the other characters having broken English. There was quick and sweet LGBTQIA+ representation in the brief appearance of Malek and Amir.
The illustrations by Anna Bron are simple and expressive. I liked the variety of body shapes and skintones as well as the traditional-feeling borders on each page.
This books felt very different and special. Most immigrant experience children's books I've read have been set at school or at home and have focused on shame for their culture or their lack of English or cultural knowledge around their new home. The setting of the Welcome Center, with Salma surrounded by people from around the world in a similar situation is very warm and comfortable, and her focus on cheering up her mom rather than seeing deficiency in herself is unique!
This book shows so many beautiful things! Positive things like the resilience of children in tough situations, and how a community of found-family can be an asset! Difficult things like a separated family and the struggle of an unfamiliar environment full of unfamiliar things. I loved how the Welcome Center woman Nancy was described as having "broken Arabic" instead of the other characters having broken English. There was quick and sweet LGBTQIA+ representation in the brief appearance of Malek and Amir.
The illustrations by Anna Bron are simple and expressive. I liked the variety of body shapes and skintones as well as the traditional-feeling borders on each page.
This books felt very different and special. Most immigrant experience children's books I've read have been set at school or at home and have focused on shame for their culture or their lack of English or cultural knowledge around their new home. The setting of the Welcome Center, with Salma surrounded by people from around the world in a similar situation is very warm and comfortable, and her focus on cheering up her mom rather than seeing deficiency in herself is unique!
July 8, 2020
Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron. PICTURE BOOK. Annick Press, 2020. $19. 9781773213750
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Salma is discouraged because her mom doesn’t seem as happy as she used to be before they immigrated to America. With the help of her teachers and friends at the language school, Salma painstakingly researches, shops, and prepares a traditional Syrian dish for her mother. The final ingredient is illusive and requires all their family friends showing up to help.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it highlights how lonely being in a new country can feel, but also how people are all really very similar in our need to feel connected, despite speaking different languages or eating different types of food.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Salma is discouraged because her mom doesn’t seem as happy as she used to be before they immigrated to America. With the help of her teachers and friends at the language school, Salma painstakingly researches, shops, and prepares a traditional Syrian dish for her mother. The final ingredient is illusive and requires all their family friends showing up to help.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it highlights how lonely being in a new country can feel, but also how people are all really very similar in our need to feel connected, despite speaking different languages or eating different types of food.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
February 5, 2020
Salma wants to make her mama laugh, laugh like she used to back home in Syria, laugh like she used to with her friends at the refugee camps. With the help of many others who are living at the Welcome Center in Vancouver, Salma tries to find the best recipe to make for her mama who has been sad for so long. Her father is back at home, they can't rebuild their house here, Salma has difficulty saying the names of the foods, spices, and vegetables in English but she makes drawings and gets help going to the super market. Such a nice story of family, friendship, and the comforts of food. "Your smile is home." Salma's mother says to her.
November 15, 2020
A very non-didactic, kid-friendly way of showing the difficulties of being refugees in a strange place. Salma know her mother is sad and misses her father. She can't bring her father to them in Vancouver, but she can cook her mother's favorite dish from home. Missing home, not being able to read or speak the language around you, missing the scents and flavors, yet people around you are helpful, you can draw what you need, where you are may be different but has its own beauties, and other people are going through similar things. The pages have frames reminiscent of Middle Eastern geometric tiles, and soft colors of yellow and purple echo through the pictures.
July 27, 2020
There are not many picture books that deal with immigration and integration into a new society. Salma and her mom live in a Welcome Center in Vancouver, but her mom doesn't smile anymore. Salma set out to bring Mama's smile back. She succeeds through language barriers and an accident in the kitchen.
That other residents of the Welcome Center are from all over the world. This book would be an excellent way to open up dialog with younglings about immigrants, refuges, cultures not their own, and, even, world geography.
That other residents of the Welcome Center are from all over the world. This book would be an excellent way to open up dialog with younglings about immigrants, refuges, cultures not their own, and, even, world geography.
July 29, 2020
Salma just moved to Vancouver, Canada from Syria as a refugee. Despite missing her home and her father back in Syria, Salma and her mom are building a community in their new home. But Salma still sees the sadness in her mother and wants to cheer her up. She decides to enlist the help of her new community and make one of her mother's favorite dishes, but not without a few problems along the way.
This is a beautiful story that shows just how powerful and impactful a welcoming community can be that provides safety nets for people who are struggling or in danger.
This is a beautiful story that shows just how powerful and impactful a welcoming community can be that provides safety nets for people who are struggling or in danger.
March 2, 2020
This book really pulled at my heart strings. It’s about homesickness, the immigrant experience, making new friends, and the desire to lift someone else's spirits. There’s also food involved. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
March 14, 2020
This book is a sweet tale of a child wanting to make her mother happy. It's a story of a refugee from Syria, and shows the struggles her family is facing, without being depressing. It highlights the power of community and how connections can help people overcome their struggles
March 15, 2020
An absolutely beautiful book! The story is hopeful and relatable to many. The book is inclusive , featuring characters of many cultures, identities, ages, body types, and so much more. The illustrations are gorgeous. Highly recommended for all ages!
October 28, 2020
Salma's mother is sad; she misses Salma's dad, back home in Syria. Salma wants to cheer her mom up, and she decides to prepare some Syrian food for her. It's harder than Salma expects, but, in the end, Salma's mom smiles.
A tale of the difficulties and joys of being in a new land.
A tale of the difficulties and joys of being in a new land.
February 27, 2021
Delightful! I adored this little girl trying to bring back her mother’s smile by cooking a special dish, all the while giving us a sense of how hard it is to make a home in a new country, but how much easier with help from friends along the way.
July 9, 2021
This book was incredible. It has everything. Beautiful drawings, a sweet story of a child trying to cheer up a parent, loving families of all kinds, community support, and friends who can lean on each other for anything.
March 18, 2020
The story and the illustrations are rich with love. Ideal for children to learn compassion, and maybe even develop a passion for cooking too! It is a treasure.
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