Oli and the Olive Tree - Paperback

by Akiko Sampson (Author), Quynh-Anh Mai (Illustrator), Quynh-Anh Mai (Editor)

A heart-warming modern fairytale about the loss of a grandparent, the curiosity of a child, and love's reach across generations, this book helps explain to children the absence of passed grandparents and the endurance of love after death.

Oli is six years old, and lives with her mom and dad. In her backyard is an olive tree with a twisted trunk and feather-shaped leaves. When Oli's imagination takes hold, she creates a tiny fairy house made of twigs and grasses at the base of the tree. To her surprise, a real fairy walks right out, saying she is the spirit of her deceased Grandma Simi! In the magic that ensues, Oli learns to see her own uniqueness, to value herself, and begins to understand the meaning of love across generations.

For children with long-deceased or recently passed grandparents and family members, this book offers comfort and context for working through tough emotions, and helps them to turn grief into enduring self-love.