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This is an advance, uncorrected proof.
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For my parents
I would like to thank my writing partner, Nelly Buchet; our agent, Erzsi Deàk; and our editor, Emma Ledbetter —D.A.
For my grandparents, parents, and Daniel
Big thanks to Erzsi, Emma, and my art director, Heather Kelly —N.C.
The illustrations for this book were made with ink drawing on paper and digital coloring.
Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4197-6361-8
Text © 2023 Dezh Azaad Illustrations © 2023 Nan Cao Book design by Heather Kelly
Published in 2023 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Printed and bound in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below.
Abrams® is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
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written by DEZH AZAAD illustrated by NAN CAO
Abrams Books for Young Readers • New York
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We sip our tea and talk together, ruby cushions of goose feather.
The carpet is for sitting.
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We gather greens, fresh and crispy:
basil, mint, dill, and parsley.
The carpet is for prepping.
First comes washing, then it’s soaking.
Stems from leaves need mindful splitting.
The carpet is for helping.
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Folding out a red waxed cover; mother, father, sisters, brothers.
The carpet is for sharing.
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The carpet is for caring.
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“Don’t bring crumbs into the kitchen, spread them out across the garden.”
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We hop from cliffs—hot lava here!
Quick, watch out! A shark is near!
The carpet is for playing.
The carpet is for
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Rooks are fast, pawns are slower. “Your king’s stuck—this game is over!”
learning.
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We read tales of buried treasure:
flying Simorgh, born of fire.
The carpet is for listening.
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My parents speak of family they had when they were young and free.
The carpet is for remembering.
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Their smiles fade behind closed doors, our lives crushed by others’ wars.
The carpet is for standing.
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Though I’m small, I know it’s wrong to never fit, never belong.
The carpet keeps me strong.
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The carpet is for dreaming of a place that I have never known, the distant land we call our own.
The carpet is a piece of home.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
When I was little, my parents taught me to take care of the family carpet. We are from Afghanistan, and this is how we live. Our daily life revolves around the carpet. We tend to it with the care we learn to show all things and living beings. Carpets are also special to other communities that share common histories.
Like all people, our culture keeps us connected to home, no matter where we find ourselves. The carpet is one of these strings, these pieces of home we carry in our hearts. So are our cuisine and its herbs, and our games and stories.
We learn about Simorgh, the mythical bird, when we are small. She is the fierce protector of children and nature, so big she could carry a whale. She is born of ashes and symbolizes strength and renewal, two qualities that are especially important in a world where certain ethnicities and nationalities, like mine, stir fear and hatred in people.
Afghans grapple with prejudice all over the world. Dealing with misrepresentation is not easy for us or anyone. And it’s something that no one should ever have to get used to. My parents are witnesses to this shift, so swift; this construction of an identity they cannot even imagine as their own.
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I wrote this book to share what we are really about: family, not war. In line with anti-racist and social justice movements, I hope that my book can participate in the efforts to uncover the heart and true face of my—and all—people, so that children everywhere can live and learn in love, not fear.
Thank you for reading and sharing our truth.
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