Rifk
BOOKS
children’s books about Palestine
New Release: Kamal's Key
Now available for Pre-Order!
Kamal's Key
A multigenerational and empowering story that explores the resilience of the human spirit to persist through life’s most difficult challenges, using the powerful symbolism that the key has come to represent in the Palestinian cause for freedom and justice.
My Books
You Are the Color
After a frightening expulsion from his homeland, Thaer’s world is suddenly filled with a lot of darkness. You Are the Color is an evocative story about the Palestinian refugee experience during al-Nakba, or “The Catastrophe,” of 1948. Follow Thaer as he discovers the power of art to transform grief into hope, and find out his secret to seeing color again. Here’s a hint: just look inside.
REVIEWS
“Another brilliant book to be read by children of all ages. Those of us who think of ourselves as grown-ups, it reconnects us with our child’s heart and rekindles hope.”
What a wonderful book displaying both the joy that our kids feel and the fear that they must unfortunately bear. Thank you for writing this!”
“What a wonderful book displaying both the joy that our kids feel and the fear that they must unfortunately bear. Thank you for writing this!”
“In You Are the Color, readers journey with young Thaer through devastating loss before capturing bright hope with the help of a kind teacher. Accompanied by Noor Alshalabi’s gorgeous illustrations, Rifk Ebeid illuminates the effects of the Palestinian Nakba and its displacement on childhood, as well as the powerful resilience of young children.”
“Rifk Ebeid’s latest children book, You Are the Color, is heartbreaking and yet heartwarming. It is the story of innocence, struggle and hope. It is the story of all Palestinian refugees, and their descendants, in the last 75 years. A beautiful Palestinian boy is desperate to find his colors, to locate hope amid a gloomy reality of war, dispossession and loss. Though his dilemma is symbolically confined to coloring paper, it is a profound representation of the larger struggle of generations of Palestinians insisting to remember where they come from, and to remain committed to their mission in life, that of freedom and justice. Noor Alshalabi’s drawings are stunning and convey the innocence and purity of the story in a powerful and effective way. You Are the Color is another great addition to the Palestinian children literature genre.”
Baba, What Does My Name Mean? A Journey to Palestine
When Saamidah, a young Palestinian refugee, is asked by her friends what her name means, she isn’t quite sure what to say. She turns to her baba for some answers – but what she gets is an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Join Saamidah on a lyrical journey, with dazzling illustrations, that brings to life her beloved homeland and celebrates the richness of her cultural heritage and the determination to return.
REVIEWS
“Beautifully illustrated and text that comes from the heart and connects us to the land in a touching way.”
“Rifk Ebeid has written a lyrical, celebrative journey around the names and places that were and continue to be Palestine in the hearts of millions. Focusing on deliciousness and the sweetness of presence, she carries me back to my Palestinian father’s bedtime tales – as the story unfolds. Miraculously, she makes it all rhyme. So many people will appreciate this precious tasty book and want to pass it on and on.”
“Join Saamidah and her Dove of Peace, Salam on this enchanted journey across the land of historic Palestine. As Saamidah rediscovers her Palestinian roots, her ancestral homeland becomes a tangible place, rife with life and hope. Rifk Ebeid’s “Baba, What Does My Name Mean” is an enjoyable, yet profound representation of Palestine that will help children trace their Palestinian identity and heritage in an unforgettable way. At a time that mainstream media is deliberately assigning Palestine and her people with negative associations, damaging undertones and harmful stereotypes, Ebeid’s book is a refreshing reminder of a people’s spirit that cannot be suppressed. This beautiful book is a gentle whisper of hope, pure in its intentions, and compelling in its underlying, unmistakable meaning.”
Birthday Kunafa
A unique wordless picture book about Palestine that will fill your imagination and tickle your senses with a hearty dose of Palestinian family, food, and fortitude.
To celebrate her birthday, all Amal wants is to bite into the sweetest slice of cheesy kunafa from Nablus Sweets, the best place in town. When her party ends with no kunafa in sight, she comes up with a plan. Will Amal be able to overcome all the obstacles she must face in order to get her birthday kunafa?
Award Winning Animation
i am from palestine
an animated short film
As Saamidah, a young Palestinian-American girl, anxiously starts her first day of school, she finds her identity in question when faced with a world map that doesn’t include her homeland.
Hi! I'm
Rifk
Ebeid
I am a Palestinian writer and children’s book author.
I love to write about all things related to Palestine and empower our youth with the necessary education and knowledge to build strength and confidence in their identity.
Featured Talks & Interviews
Virtual Screening & Interview
An Interview with Chicago Palestine Film Festival
Play Video
"I Am From Palestine" Animation
An Interview with Peleset Angels
Play Video
MEMO In Conversation with Filmmakers Rifk Ebeid & Iman Zawahry
An interview with the Middle East Monitor
Play Video
Free Library Censors Palestinian Children's Book
An interview with The Palestine Pod
Play Video
MEMO in conversation with Rifk Ebeid
An interview with the Middle East Monitor
Play Video
Our Stories, Our Narrative. Why your voice matters.
A talk for the Arab Culture Club at Spokane Community College
Play Video
Art as a form of resistance: the power of music and visual art
Panel moderator for BuildPalestine 2020 Social Innovation Summit
Play Video
Media &
Other Writings
Opinion: Palestinian American Educators Deserve Support from their Peers
The Hechinger Report
Huda's Salon Film Review: Exploiting Palestinian Trauma for Western Audiences
Muslim Matters