Author Reading and Craft: A Lemon for Safiya by Jemima Shafei-Ongu

A little girl and her family help a lost and confused stranger to find her way home in this moving story about compassion, ageing and identity. They reached a giant lemon tree. The old woman sat up, tapping an urgent finger against the window. 'Hay! Hay! Hanna zarr'et ha. Hay!' 'She's saying that Hanna planted this tree,' Mama said as Dad pulled over. 'It's a beautiful tree, shajrah hhelweh,' Mama said to the old woman. When a little girl, Safiya, and her family help Maryam, a lost and confused stranger by the side of the road, to find her way home, they begin to understand who she is and the rich and remarkable life she has lived. Through kind-natured Safiya, we come to see Maryam, a woman who had been made invisible by society because of her ethnicity, race, religion, language, age and now dementia. With Arabic text interspersed throughout, A Lemon for Safiya is a wonderful exploration of language, diversity and culture. Jemima Shafei-Ongu is a Sydney-based writer committed to promoting inclusion and representation in children’s literature. Combining a professional background in psychology and teaching, Jemima explores themes of belonging, connection and wellbeing. Jemima is the author of two picture books, Aslan and Benny and A Lemon for Safiya. She resides on unceded Dharug land with her husband, their mini schnauzer and recently became a teta to her first grandchild.