Wholesale Empty and Me: A Tale of Friendship and Loss

By Azam Mahdavi & Parisa Saranj Illustrated by Maryam Tahmasebi In this bilingual Persian-English picture book, a little girl learns how to live with the gentle giant that embodies her grief. ★ "The sepia and gray-toned images, although digitally rendered, mimic colored pencils and set a solemn tone that reinforces the girl's loneliness in a vast world without her mom. The character of Empty is soft curves and bright white, the perfect complement for the sharp edges of loss. . . A strong purchase to introduce loss and, not incidentally, expose students to translated works." -- School Library Journal ★ "Powerful while still sensitive to the target audience, this picture book follows the gradual journey of loss." -- Foreword Reviews, starred review