Zarda (English & Arabic)

In Morocco, food is never just food. It is a grandmother’s hands, an afternoon stretching into golden hour, the couscous always ready, the mint tea poured with love.

Zarda follows Ali, the joyful, imaginative hero of Agafay Books, on his most delicious adventure yet: a nap at his grandmother’s house, where food becomes something far greater than what’s on the plate. In his dream, a round bread becomes a car, a briouate folds into a plane, a Medjool date launches like a rocket, and a forest of broccoli stretches endlessly. At the heart of the story, a glass of mint tea steams gently as Ali sips slowly, eyes closed, tasting something that belongs to us all.

The title comes from “Zerda,” one of the great Melhoun poems by Houcine Toulali, an ode to abundance and to gathering around food. Zarda is a love letter to Moroccan food culture and to the memories shared in every meal. It invites families to pause and rediscover what has always lived on their table.

• Inspired by the Melhoun poem Zerda by Houcine Toulali
• Arabic and English side by side, celebrating Moroccan childhood in two languages
• Vivid illustrations that turn food into adventure
• A sturdy 190 x 190 mm board book with thick pages for little hands

For children aged 2 and up.