Salma the Syrian Chef  Published March 2020 by Annick Press, written by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron.

Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama.

All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers at the Welcome Center are happy to lend a hand—and a sprinkle of sumac. With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration. 

The story takes place at a "welcome centre"; a temporary refugee housing building, clean and friendly, but totally devoid of any character. With the few belongings Salma and her mom would have brought over from Syria, I desperately wanted to find a way to infuse their environment with their rich cultural history.

The solution were borders inspired by Islamic motifs and tessellation, with a bit of a modern and playful take on them. 

Salma and the other children dream of their favourite dishes from their countries. 

The story takes place in Vancouver, Canada, so it was important to show some real places. 

Salma dreams of riding the famous SeaWall around Stanley park, a 10km path conturing the park and beyond.