A Good Morning for Giddo

A Good Morning for Giddo - Hardcover

$18.99
$18.99
Skip to product information
A Good Morning for Giddo
  • A Good Morning for Giddo
A Good Morning for Giddo - Hardcover

A Good Morning for Giddo - Hardcover

by Dahlia Hamza Constantine , Irene Latham
$18.99
$18.99

Book Overview


A granddaughter makes her Giddo's birthday extra special with a surprise gift in this delightful picture book that celebrates Egyptian art and family.

When Somaya and her beloved Giddo (Arabic word for grandfather) make their weekly trip to the market, Somaya is impatient to get to the tentmaker's stall; she needs help to complete a birthday surprise for Giddo, but Giddo prefers to take his time to visit his many friends. At first Somaya is frustrated by the delay, but soon she sees the importance of checking in on friends. Like Hajj Mohammed who sells shimmery pots of ink and is sad since his son moved to a faraway land.

"Good Morning with roses and jasmine," Hajj Mohammed greets them before inviting Somaya to choose a pen; Somaya bleeds a special birthday message onto paper for Giddo while he and Hajj Mohammed answer the call to prayer.

Next, they visit the jeweler. All around sparkling abalone fill baskets like treasure boxes. "Good morning of sweet cream, dearest Somaya," Mariam says as she strings together a beautiful necklace. Giddo decides to stay for tea with Mariam's father. Somaya loves listening to their chatter as the minty tea dazzles her tongue.

At last, they reach the tentmakers's stall. Sunlight splashes through the covered roof onto the rainbow of fabrics lining both sides of the narrow alleyway. As Giddo oohs and ahhs over Ammu Safwat's new designs, Somaya heads straight for his apprentice to get help with the final flourish of her gift to Giddo.

Finally, they are on their way home where Somaya and her parents surprise Giddo with a cake and Somaya's special gift showing Giddo, the best tentmaker of them all, that she's now a tentmaker too!

Illustrator Basma Hosam entices the reader with a rich, tapestry of colors that honors the brilliance of artisans who keep the ancient arts of calligraphy, abalone inlay and textile alive.

A Good Morning for Giddo is a wonderful celebration of community, art and culture and the bond between generations.
ISBN9780593463215
Author Dahlia Hamza Constantine , Irene Latham
PublisherNancy Paulsen Books
GenreChildren and Family
FormatHardcover
PublishedApril 2026
LanguageENG- English
Pages32
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceKids
Print SizeStandard Print

Related Subjects

Juvenile Fiction Kids

1% fer Each of the Seven Seas

Every purchase sends 7% of our profits to The Ocean Cleanup. No fine print, no opt-in — just how we sail.

Whoever Ye Be, Welcome Aboard

Queer lit, music, art, philosophy, fiction — stories for every kind of soul. Come as ye are, matey.

More by Dahlia Hamza Constantine

A Good Morning for Giddo

A Good Morning for Giddo - Hardcover

A Good Morning for Giddo - Hardcover

By Dahlia Hamza Constantine and Irene Latham
About Dahlia Hamza Constantine
From the bustling streets of Cairo to vibrant American neighborhoods, Dahlia Hamza Constantine weaves her Egyptian heritage into stories that bridge worlds. A former elementary school teacher turned author, she creates books that help young readers discover the magic hidden in their own communities.
About Irene Latham
The daughter of a seamstress, IRENE LATHAM lives in Birmingham, Alabama. Since Leaving Gee's Bend was first released in 2010, she has given hundreds of presentations about Gee's Bend, its history, art, and people. Winner of the 2016 International Literacy Association-Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award, she is passionate about helping others write their poems and stories. For curriculum connections and additional information, please visit irenelatham.com.

You may also like