Young Shiraz lives a lonely life with her stepmother and stepsister, completely unaware of the old woman who lives alone next door...until Shiraz's runaway yarn ball brings them face-to-face. This beautiful story from Tehran-born Israeli pop star Rita Jahanforuz explores the power of listening to others and the value of empathy.
"... a heartwarming vindication of good-heartedness, something that doesn’t always get celebrated in a girlhood culture of snark" – The New York Times
"Author Rita Jahanforuz, a Tehran-born Israeli pop star, recapitulates in these vivid pages the fable of an understanding girl [and] Vali Mintzi's illustrations here are wonderfully vibrant" – The Wall Street Journal
"Richly colored illustrations in gouache brighten this tale’s message of the importance of listening to people’s hearts" – OmniLibros
"Successfully calls on traditional tales for tone and structure but feels fresh with elegant, color-rich gouache art and a distinctive setting" – The Horn Book Magazine
"Vali Mintzi has amazing style and isn’t afraid to use color. Her gouache paints are bold; she uses strong lines, dabs of color here and there and with just a few strokes, she brings to life the colorful city of Tehran" – Read It Real Good
"A well-crafted, beautifully illustrated story of kindness and care, this is a top-notch picture book import" – Kirkus Reviews
