Dear New Friend, written by Taraneh Matloob and illistrated by Alisa Massari, is a short and sweet book written for young readers. In it,we are introduced to a young Persian boy and his family. This young boy is in inviting and welcoming the reader into his home, and telling their friend what they will see when they come.
I love how informative and inclusive this book was. I feel like I really learned about this young friend and his family, what they enjoyed, what they do, and their family traditions. I think that this would be a wonderful book to share with young readers, and a great way to introduce them to being inclusive of different families and traditions. Definitely recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author, publisher, and illustrator of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"To those who are hesitating or lingering on the edge, I urge you: fear not to cross the bridge. The new world of friendship is worth exploring."

What a lovely author's note to end a lovely book!

Along with our young Persian boy's new friend, we are welcomed into his home. Through gorgeous, rich illustrations, we learn some of their specific customs: taking off your shoes at the door, drinking tea from saucers, the marbles game of Tileh, and more! It's a simple but perfect introduction for kids on how to embrace diversity and respect another's culture & customs while cultivating a new friendship.

(Sidenote: I always assumed that Persian rugs had significance in their designs, but I so appreciated the end pages going into more detail!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! About a Persian boy who explains his home/culture to us through the items and people in his home. Really good explanations of how/why things are the way they are. The illustrations are great! I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but overall, it was great!