The critically acclaimed P is for Palestine: A Children's Palestine Alphabet Book 🇵🇸 (published by Dr. Bashi™) was launched to an unprecedented national and international reception inside a tiny Manhattan bookstore in November 2017. The book was first shipped to all our wonderful supporters here on LaunchGood from every corner of the world before its physical launch "party". 

Every individual who pre-purchased our little book in advance helped fund the cost of an almost impossible (and as we came to understand life-threatening) dream in the heart of Empire (Manhattan, NYC).

P is for Palestine: A Children's Palestine Alphabet Book (2017) is now a diverse kids classic despite every effort to stifle it, and has organically reached its 7th edition. It can be purchased (individually) or at a discounted wholesale rate. Find out more here: https://www.drbashi.com/p-isforpalestine

🇵🇸 November 2017 Update Below 🇵🇸            

Original January 2016-2017 Crowd-Fundraising appeal on LaunchGood:     

Anyone who’s ever been to Palestine or has Palestinian friends, colleagues, neighbors knows that this proud Mediterranean nation is at the center of our world. It is home to the sweetest oranges, most intricate embroideries, great dance moves (Dabkeh), fertile olive groves, and sunniest people! Inspired by Palestinian people’s own rich history in the literary and visual arts, we have created a book titled P is for Palestine in English where we tell the story of the Palestine that we love as simply as ABC…in an educational, colorful, empowering way, showcasing the beauty and strength of Palestinian culture— and we want to offer our forthcoming book at a greatly reduced price to our community who in turn are enabling our independent self-publishing endeavor.

For $12 only (limited numbers), pre-purchase your copy of the first edition of "P is for Palestine" with free U.S. shipping ($4 USD in postage per book to most destinations around the world). We have other perks and wholesale offers, check them out on the right hand-side of this page (or at the bottom of this page if you are on a mobile device).

P is for Palestine is the realization of our collective dream to take children and grownups alike on a alphabetic trip to Palestine. The team behind this book are Middle Eastern-Swedish storyteller Golbarg Bashi aka Dr. Bashi and Golrokh Nafisi, a globally acclaimed illustrator. 

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Dr. Bashi, who’s sort of nuts about the alphabet (find out why here), conceived of the idea for P is for Palestine when she couldn’t find such a book for her own children and for the school visits she regularly conducts in New York City public schools. She’s in the habit of buying or borrowing books about cities, countries, and artists whenever she and her family are traveling to those destinations. So when Dr. Bashi asked Golrokh Nafisi (who has a impressive body of work painting Middle Eastern themes and children) if she’d be interested in illustrating the book, Golrokh immediately said YES! 

The Missing Alphabet Book

The tradition of alphabet books goes back several centuries. There are currently countless alphabet books about most countries, cities, and themes in the world—helping inform children about any number of topics, nations and cultures other than their own. A is for America, B is for Brazil, and C is for Canada etc…But none about or for Palestine in the English language. Until now, insh'allah!

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The simple story of Palestine is today shrouded in convoluted misinformation and contested narratives. But at the heart of the matter stands a proud people with a compelling truth which sustain their historic struggles to tell their story of dispossession to the world. Our P is for Palestine is a modest step in that direction. 

Legendary Palestinian Children's Literature

The story of Palestine is the story of our humanity at large. It is story of all people, all nations, throughout history, seeking a pride of place. 

—Golbarg Bashi, Ph.D.

Furthermore, children the world over are increasingly exposed to a barrage of psychologically damaging disinformation that violates the sanctity of their young life and compromises their trust in the world. In this book we wish to tell the story of Palestine in a manner that enriches their hope in our future. As a result, P is for Palestine will follow in the footsteps of great many alphabet books about countries, customs and the beauty of the world around us in good ‘ol English and other European languages! 

Why Pre-Purchase the Book Now?

By offering our forthcoming book to you at a greatly reduced price (MSRP is $24.99), you are in turn enabling us to have the freedom, speed, and independence to publish this book with a state-of-the-art publisher ourself. If we manage to sell-out the first edition of P is for Palestine in advance, we will use the additional funds to offer a bilingual Arabic-English edition of the book and send at least 1 copy of it to reputable NGOs, nurseries, and schools that cater to Palestinian refugee children inside and outside of Palestine. 

Meet The Author: Golbarg Bashi aka Dr. Bashi

I was born into a family of artists and educators in south-western Iran—near the Iraqi border—a few years before the Iraq-Iran war started. When I was in middle school, my family and I fled to Sweden as political refugees. In Sweden, I met children from other war-zones and learned about Nakba and the plight of Palestinian refugees. Today, I am university professor, a toy-maker, a visual artist and a storyteller based in New York. I have a daughter and son both in elementary school. Walking into our local bookstore or surfing the internet in search of good books to read are among our most precious experiences. Every time my children and I are standing in front of a table full of books for children in a bookstore, in my mind I start imagining the books I wish were there and are not. Beyond wishing, I decided to do something about the lack of diversity in children’s books. I enrolled in a course on How to Write Children’s Books taught by the preeminent American children’s author and illustrator Peter Catalanotto at my alma mater, Columbia University. The very place I received my Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies a few years earlier. Furthermore, with the help of a world-renowned typographer Kourosh Beigpour, I began making pedagogically-advanced educational wood blocks in Arabic and Persian—made ethically in Vermont, USA (Dr. Bashi™). The work I’ve done in this venture has earned me a nomination for a prestigious U.S. toy industry award where I was shortlisted for the Designer/Inventor category at the Women In Toys Wonder Woman Awards. My website is: drbashi.com

Meet The Illustrator: Golrokh Nafisi 

 I am a published children’s book illustrator, animator and puppet maker engaged in the contemporary conceptual art scene. I was born three years after the Iranian revolution in Isfahan, Iran. In my work, I cover daily events, lives of ordinary people and the politics of Middle Eastern societies. I'm drawn to realism and love to use bold colors with strong social commentary. Furthermore I experiment with performances in public spaces and I am interested in discovering new forms of collective action, involving bodies and human ideologies. I am a graduate of Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam (2014) and hold a B.F.A. in Design from the Tehran University of Art, which is one of Asia’s oldest and most prestigious art schools. Most recently my puppets went on stage in a production named “Wawara” at Théâtre Marni in Brussels, Belgium. The play “Wawara” was a poetic dance performance for children aged five years and older—telling the universal story of our diverse world where everyone is looking for a place to fit in. In 2012, my short film titled “My Glorious Childhood” was selected and screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR) in Holland. 

Photo Gallery: Golrokh Nafisi

Photo Gallery: Golbarg Bashi

ADVANCED PRAISE 

"This powerful book will prove to be pivotal for so many young Palestinians on their search for identity and belonging, and will introduce countless others to a place and people that have been marginalized for too long in their struggle for equality. I can't wait to buy copies for my niece, and her friends. P is for 'Palestine', and also for 'Proud'." 

—Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, Palestinian-American Emmy-nominated journalist, broadcaster, and senior correspondent for AJ+.

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“You will fall in love with this innovative, much needed, and beautifully illustrated Palestinian alphabet book. Highly recommended!” 

—Dr. Jack G. Shaheen, author of “Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People” and a foremost authority on media images of Arabs and Muslims in American Popular Culture.

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“This book provides an attractive and thoughtful introduction to the heritage and culture of Palestine that will be appreciated by children whose families come from Palestine, and by children everywhere.” 

—Dr. Rashid Khalidi, globally renowned Palestinian-American scholar, author, and the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University.

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“Golbarg Bashi’s “P is for Palestine” is a moving journey of alphabetical letters becoming a bridge, a boat that connects us to our homeland and our heritage, while yearning for freedom and peace in Palestine.”

—Rula Jebreal, award-winning Palestinian author, film-maker, journalist, and foreign policy analyst.

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“I'm so happy to live in a world where a book like "P is for Palestine" exists. If I had had something like this as a child, I would have felt so much less alone and so much more interested in my culture, instead of wondering why no one else seemed to know the words that were so comforting and real to me. I cannot wait to give a copy to my niece, nephew, and every other little Arab American child, who will not only be able to learn from this book, but will also be able to feel proud of where she is from, and, consequently, rooted deeply in the world.”

—Najla Said, Palestinian-American playwright, actress and author of “Looking for Palestine: Growing Up Confused in an Arab-American Family.”

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“Palestine is our story, and our story begins with the alphabet.Every letter a direction. Stunningly illustrated. A dream-book for all ages.” 

—Nathalie Handal, Award-winning Palestinian poet and writer

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“G for GREAT...P for PEACE IN PALESTINE.” 

—Marwan Bishara, internationally renowned Palestinian author, broadcaster and chief political analyst at Al Jazeera Media Network and host of its flagship show EMPIRE.

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“I wish I had a book like this when I was a child! Fantastic and fun... a great way to show children another world and open their minds. It's especially exciting to me as a Palestinian as I always want to find ways to show my baby she can feel proud of her culture and have fun at the same time. Colorful, truly original and a delight for young and old!” 

—Annemarie Jacir, Academy Award Nominated Palestinian Filmmaker (When I Saw You)

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“A book for our children that teaches self-love and pride. A book for our friends that shares a central piece of our lives. A book for ourselves that sings without apology: P is for Palestine and all of its wonders that make it home." 

—Noura Erakat, internationally renowned Palestinian-American human rights attorney, academic and activist.

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“P is for Palestine is a colorful manifestation of all that is beautiful about the land of my parents and ancestors. This book is a gift that takes you on a journey of love, life and resilience; the virtues of my beloved Palestine.” 

—Linda Sarsour, award-winning Palestinian Muslim American Activist 

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“Golbarg Bashi takes children (and parents) into Palestine, illustrated beautifully with Golrokh Nafisi drawings. P is for Palestine is a must for anyone who grew up with fragmented past and is looking to changing today's stereotypes.” 

—Najwa Najjar, award-winning Palestinian filmmaker (Eyes of a Thief - Pomegranates and Myrrh).

🇵🇸 November 2017 Update 🇵🇸                                       

If your shipping address has changed anytime during 2017, please make sure to UPDATE it directly on your LaunchGood account.

P is for Palestine was finally published in November, 2017--and immeditably shipped to all our generous LaunchGood supporters! 

We deeply regret the delay in the publication of this unprecedented book but hope and trust you have been receiving our regular email updates sent via LaunchGood's system about the challenges we have faced. The following short video explains some of them: http://bit.ly/2lWHWLi

With P is for Palestine being our very first book publishing endeavour--and for which we had to crowd-fundraise to finance its publication (a process that began in 2016 and throughout most of 2017), we made the initial error in giving a tentative date for its shipment to donors. Book publishing, when done properly, is a time-consuming affair, as we have learned the hard way but with the kind support and patience of the overwhelming majority of our donors (thank you!) we got through it.

There are many ways you can support P is for Palestine--spreading the word about it (sharing links and pictures etc), check out its sequel, the critically-acclaimed Counting Up the Olive Tree: A Palestine Number Book. 

Do visit our website and you can also follow us on Instagram and more (all links are on our website) and last but not least do please spread the word about our work with your family, friends, and colleagues. As the kind of work we do in New York City needs a village, as launchgood and the generosity of our readers show us.

If interested in inviting the author for a physical reading of the book/books in your community, community organization, class-room, school, book club, library, bookstore or university do please email our Palestinian-American distributor to inquire about arranging an event (normally 6 months in advance). Depending on the age group/setting, we make sure to create a fun kids and family cultural Hafla around our book readings and author's events. We love what Yamamah Rashid, a young teacher in Cleveland, OH did around P is for Palestine for her students during school’s annual literary “Character Day.” 

Zoom/online events and video interviews work best for adult audiences and we have been part of a number of them, from reading the book, discussing it, to issues related to current affairs, mass-media, culture, children's literature, children's empowerment, the arts, diversity, representation, racism, gender, community activism and engagement and more. 

During our author's reading events, depending on the age group, we normally bring along coloring pages from the book for kids to color in, author will do small arts and crafts projects with children and their families based on Palestinian cultural elements (most highlighted in the books), empowering Q&A with kids sessions,  talk/discussion with community members or an academic presentation on any number of issues related to Palestine or children's literature, the book itself etc. Music and Dabkeh is highly recommended : ) We encourage interested parties to pre-purchase enough wholesale discounted numbers of the book/books from our distributor so that no one attending is left without an autographed book--many community centers, groups. bookstores even student organizations have pre-purchased more books to sell in the future and the author does her best to autograph all the books--

We love to hear your thoughts and ideas on how to put P is for Palestine on every child's map! So do please feel free to contact us through our Palestinian-American distributor: https://palestineonlinestore.com/contact/

Our 😍 heartfelt 😍 thanks goes to all who pre-purchased the book here on LG and made our campaign a spectacular success!