Rest in My Shade: A Poem About Roots

A moving poem that echoes the love Palestinians have for their olive trees and their deep connection to their land. Features seventeen major Palestinian artists. Rest in My Shade is a poetic story about displacement, identity and loss recited by an ancient olive tree. It is illustrated with olive trees created in various media by Palestinian artists living around the world. Millions of people are being uprooted, separated from their families, and risk losing their culture as a result of war, poverty, repression, and climate injustice. Rest in My Shade is a tool for building understanding, compassion, and dialog. Together, we can build a truly just world—one in which we can all live where we want, move freely and without fear, value and share the traditions that make us who we are, and feel dignity and acceptance wherever we are. Rest in My Shade is a poetic story about displacement, identity and loss recited by an ancient olive tree. It is illustrated with olive trees created in various media by Palestinian artists living around the world. Millions of people are being uprooted, separated from their families, and risk losing their culture as a result of war, poverty, repression, and climate injustice. Rest in My Shade is a tool for building understanding, compassion, and dialog. Together, we can build a truly just world—one in which we can all live where we want, move freely and without fear, value and share the traditions that make us who we are, and feel dignity and acceptance wherever we are.

Nora Lester Murad, originally from California, raised her three Palestinian-American daughters in Jerusalem. She now lives in New York. She was inspired to write this story by her father-in-law whose love for his olive trees echoes the deep connection between Palestinians and their land throughout the generations and across the continents. Danna Masad, originally from Zeita village, was born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. She is an environmentalist, activist, and architect with a deep love for her land and people. Her inspiration for this story comes from witnessing the deep connection that developed over a lifetime between her grandmother and the olive trees she tended.

Peter Knorr is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer living in Nierstein am Rhein, Germany. He illustrated numerous award-winning children's books for various German publishers, including works by authors such as Erich Kästner, Kirsten Boie and Paul Maar. He is also an illustrator for the ZDF children's series “Siebenstein.” His work has been honored by the German Book Art Foundation.