Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine

Chronicle Books

Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine

by Hannah Moushabeck, illustrated by Reem Madooh

As bedtime approaches, three young girls eagerly await the return of their father, who tells them stories of a faraway homeland—of Palestine. Through their father’s memories, the Old City of Jerusalem comes to life: the sounds of juice vendors beating rhythms with brass cups, the smell of argileh drifting through windows, and the sight of doves flapping their wings toward home. These daughters of the diaspora feel love for a place they have never been, a home they cannot visit. But, as their father’s story comes to an end, they know that through his memories they will always return.

A Palestinian family celebrates the stories of their homeland in this moving autobiographical picture book debut by Hannah Moushabeck. With heartfelt illustrations by Reem Madooh, Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine is a love letter to home, to family, and to the persisting hope of a people, which transcends borders.

Hannah Moushabeck

Hannah Moushabeck is a second-generation Palestinian American author, editor, and book marketer who was raised in a family of publishers and booksellers in Western Massachusetts and England. Born in Brooklyn into Interlink Publishing, a family-run independent publishing house, she learned the power of literature at a young age. She is the author of Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine (Chronicle Books, March 2023). She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts on the homelands of the Pocumtuc and Nipmuc Nations.

  • “Too Controversial”

    “Too Controversial”

    Publishing a Children’s Book as a Queer, Fat, Palestinian American In April 2023 I released my debut picture book, Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine with relatively no controversy. It is a quiet book that celebrates my culture, family history, and highlights the importance of storytelling for displaced families. I received a starred review from […]

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  • Radio Star!

    Radio Star!

    On Monday, April 3rd, my father Michel Moushabeck, my uncle Gabriel Moushabeck, and I went to New England Public Media to speak with Monte Belmonte on The Fabulous 413! We discussed how the Moushabecks ended up in the book industry. You can listen to the recorded interview here.

  • Reviews! Reviews! Reviews!

    Reviews! Reviews! Reviews!

    Every author waits with bated breath for the first reviews of their book to come in. I am so excited to share the following recent reviews for Homeland. “… [A] stirring tale with details that evoke the senses. A beautiful tale of family, love for a lost homeland, and remembrance.” —Kirkus Reviews  “[A] quietly moving […]

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