The Sweetest of Lemons
Daniel Nayeri author Rahele Jomepour Bell illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Levine Querido
Published:11th Jun '26
Should be back in stock very soon
Printz Medalist and Newbery Honor winner Daniel Nayeri crafts this beautiful paean to storytelling and the bonds of family.
Based on powerful memories of Nayeri visiting his grandfather, this story-within-a-story brings a young boy in a hot car ride across the desert. The destination is an oasis, where gardens perfume the air, and tales are lovingly told. Here is the gate to a magical world full of princesses, valiant brothers, dangerous giants, and one perfect, enchanted lemon. Will any of the brothers be able to foil the giant, retrieve the lemon, and free the princess? In the warm embrace of Nayeri’s storytelling, readers will lean into the enchantment until the story’s end.
Rahele Jhompeur Bell creates the two gorgeous visual strands of the tale–one inspired by the frames and jewel-like colors of Persian miniatures, the other a tender, richly textured rendering of a contemporary family.
Together, the author and artist cast a delicious spell that, like the singular lemon at the heart of the story, is so sweet it can cure sadness itself.
★"Artfully rendered, dazzlingly circuitous... The intentionally digressive text pauses and lingers, vividly situating the reader in the characters’ yearning... Jomepour Bell twines densely patterned gouache images and collage illustrations that draw on Persian artworks. It all culminates in a smartly braided story that’s fully invested in its own expansive telling." — Publishers Weekly (starred)
★ “VERDICT A must-have—don’t let young readers miss this gloriously written and illustrated folktale. Nayeri wraps a story inside a story in this gorgeously illustrated folktale from Iran. Divine artwork uses mixed media collage that has a feel of rustic folk art, pairing the geometric design of mosaic tiles with Arabic calligraphy. The palette is colorful and the pictures offer cultural clues in folkloric clothing that contrasts with the more modern look of the storyteller. This would make a wonderful addition to any collection of folktales and fairy tales.”
— School Library Journal (starred)
★ “Impeccably woven. Two creative powerhouses craft a fanciful tale rooted in their Persian heritage. Eloquently written text set in striped blocks distinguishes Abbas’ narrative from the boy’s own journey, as do Bell’s elegant illustrative shifts between gouache and collage, all in resonant jewel tones and incorporating Persian motifs.”
— Kirkus (starred)
★ “A fanciful story-within-a-story that involves a giant, a princess, magical sheep, and a mysterious underworld. Nayeri and Bell experiment with narrative form, presenting visually rich interwoven tales that will surely captivate readers.”
— Horn Book (starred)
★ "Clever, quick-witted, descriptive and charming, The Sweetest of Lemons is a delicious read-aloud, with moments of humor woven into an enthralling tale... Nayeri's prose style has a timeless feel that is especially noticeable in his characters, which makes this new fairy tale seem like one that's been told for generations upon generations." — BookPage (starred)
ISBN: 9781646145041
Dimensions: 241mm x 178mm x 14mm
Weight: unknown
48 pages