Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!
Early yesterday morning, when I took the dogs out, I noticed that overnight (in the middle of a heavy rainstorm no less) my little apple tree had suddenly gone from bare to misted with brand new leaves. How amazing that such a thing can happen overnight – or at least appear to. It’s like magic!
I’m still waiting on the two baby pink trees I got for my birthday last year. One is a magnolia and one is a dogwood, but both are supposed to have pink blossoms. I will keep you posted 😊
So I picked this lovely book to share with you today. It has the word “garden” in the title which makes it feel fitting for spring 😊 but it’s also just a really beautiful book about the relationship between a granddaughter and her grandpa. I attended a webinar last night about marketing entry points for picture books, and this one has about 10! 😊
Title: Rose Weaves A Garden
Written & Illustrated By: Rashin Kheiriyeh
Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books, April 22, 2025
ISBN#: 978-0593705100
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: granddaughter/grandfather relationship, weaving, Iranian cultural heritage, grandparent illness, patience, perseverance, love
text and illustration copyright Rashin Kheiriyeh, 2025, Anne Schwartz Books
Opening:
“In a city so old they call it ancient, lives Rose.
Not old, not ancient.
She’s only seven!
Her grandfather lives there, too. Old, yes.
Rose teases Baba joon that he is ancient.
He smiles.”
text and illustration copyright Rashin Kheiriyeh, 2025, Anne Schwartz Books
Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] “Rose’s Baba joon (her grandfather) loves three things most in the world: His loom, where he weaves fine rugs for family and friends; his garden; and most of all, Rose!
When Rose decides she wants to weave her own rug — its design inspired by a drawing she made of their garden–Baba is thrilled to teach her. Working side-by-side at the loom, grandfather and granddaughter tie colorful strands of yarn into thousands of knots. But just as the rug slowly begins to take shape, Baba falls ill.
Rose knows one thing that will make him feel better: a beautiful — and finished! — garden rug. But will she be able to weave the rest of the rug on her own?”
text and illustration copyright Rashin Kheiriyeh, 2025, Anne Schwartz Books
Links To Resources: 8 Beginnger Weaving Projects for Kids; Weaving Projects for Kids – Books and Crafts
text and illustration copyright Rashin Kheiriyeh, 2025, Anne Schwartz Books
text and illustration copyright Rashin Kheiriyeh, 2025, Anne Schwartz Books
Why I Like This Book: This is such a warm and heartfelt book. The gentle, loving relationship that Rose has with her Baba joon gives such a feeling of comfort and security. Baba joon is a weaver of beautiful rugs, and Rose decides she wants to make one, too. So Baba joon teaches her, showing her how to dye the bright yarns, and make the knots “not once, not twice, but a thousand times,” passing his knowledge on to her. It is not easy at first. Rose’s inexperienced fingers are slow and clumsy, while Baba joon’s fly quickly with the skill of practice. Rose has to learn patience. Then Baba joon falls ill, and Rose has to persevere, doing her best to apply the knowledge he gave her on her own. Certain that seeing her finished rug will make him feel better, she works and works, and slowly, slowly, Baba joon regains his health. When at last she shows him her nearly finished rug, he is well enough to sit with her and show her how to bind the edges, and this time it is Baba joon’s fingers that move slowly, slowly, and Rose’s that fly. A beautiful, generational story that incorporates aspects of Iranian culture and rug-making, and themes of patience, perseverance, and love, this is a book that will appeal to lots of readers – kids and grown-ups alike! 😊
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Amazing story and beautiful book. Love the pink. Congratulations!🩷
It is a lovely book, Robin! I hope you get to read it – so beautifully done!
I’m glad her Baba joon recovers and they can finish the rug together. What a gorgeous story.
I know! Me, too, Jodie! I was so afraid he was going to die and all she would have was the rug to remind her of him!
We have this one at home. 😊 The illustrations are gorgeous. I know it is spring here because I had our first black bear in the backyard! 🐻
I’m glad you like it, too, Kate! I have not yet seen the bears this year, but my daughter in VT caught one on her outdoor camera raiding her bird feeder!
What a beautiful full-circle story with a happy ending. The illustrations are so sweet!
It is so lovely, Kim! If you haven’t read it, I hope you get to!
The best stories come from the simple moments of life. Whether funny, poignant, or amazing, they give children a sense of belonging, hope, and maybe a love of family and gardens.
That is so true, Kathryn, and something for all of us to keep in mind as we write!
The palette alone is a perfect spring choice, Susanna! Enjoy that rain and all the pink blooms to come!
I know, isn’t it beautiful Jules? I can’t believe we already need the rain so much after all the snow we had this winter. I’m sure it’s far worse where you are!
What a lovely book! I enjoyed reading about this story and felt the “heartbeat”. I’ll look for this one ASAP. Thank you for sharing.
It’s really a wonderful book, Christy! I hope you like it!
Wow; this looks amazing. Thank you for the sneak peek inside. Spring has sprung here in TX for sure; sending some of our sunshine your way!
Thank you, Barbara! We’ll take it! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the book if you get to read it!
Lovely cultural experience of grandparent/grandchild.
It is so beautifully written, Robin. And I was so glad it turned out the way it did – with Baba joon recovering and able to help Rose finish!
What a gorgeous book! I love Rashin’s work. But I haven’t seen or read this one…yet! Thanks for highlighting it!
My pleasure, Patricia! It’s a lovely book. I hope you get to read it!
Sounds soooo sweeet❤️.
It really is, Emmie. Such a gentle book.
About weaving? Count me in! The illustrations are so inviting – I love the colors. Definitely looking for this one!
It is about weaving, Sue! I love the page where they dye the yarn. And it’s so believable how Rose’s small, inexperienced hands struggle with the motions that Baba joon’s hands do with such ease, and so lovely when, after his illness when she has had so much time to practice, it is her hands that move quickly and with confidence, while he regains his strength.
What a beautiful story… I’m so glad that Baba joon recovered and was able to complete the weaving❣️ Looking forward to reading this lovely PB.
Me, too, Susan! I was afraid it was going to turn out to be a grief book and I was so glad when it didn’t!
I love that it combines gardens, grandfathers, and weaving. I have many fond memories of woodworking and painting with my grandparents. The illustrations are precious and I am excited to get my hold in. Thanks Susanna for featuring it.
My pleasure, Maria! It’s such a lovely book. I hope you get to read it!
Such beautiful illustrations! Spring is such a lovely time of year. And it’s funny that I was just noticing (as I was pulling weeds in the garden) that things seem to sprout instantaneously in the are I’ve just weeded, LOL. Nature is a force! Thanks for this beautiful recommendation, Susanna!
You’re welcome, Jilanne. What is weeding? lol