Originally published in Iran in 2021, Empty and Me: A Tale of Friendship and Loss is a standout picture book about loss, grief, and finding new ways to be in the world. Released this past October in a dual language Persian/English edition by U.S. based Lee & Low Books, this moving picture book presents an universal story from a place many in the West may consider all too alien.

As the book opens, the unnamed young female protagonist sits alone on a balcony overlooking a square where children are playing. She doesn’t feel like playing; instead she looks at a picture on the wall. “This is the last picture of Mom and me and the last pot we planted together,” she explains. The girl’s mother has died, and Empty has taken her place.

Represented as a large, somewhat ghostly blob (somewhat reminiscent of the robot in the Disney film Big Hero 6), Empty is an anthropomorphization of the protagonist’s grief. Empty is there at breakfast, at school, even when she and her dad visit an amusement park. Far from being menacing, Empty is soft and rounded in shape, quiet and constant. The illustrations depict Empty holding the the girl’s hand, or sitting close by.

One day, the last pot the girl and her mother planted together blooms. Change is in the air. Empty and the girl rescue a lonely kitten. On another day, Empty and the girl play with one of her school friends. There are bedtime stories, dinners at home, and funny street puppet shows. Empty is still there, yes, but the book ends on a hopeful and comforting note.

The text, written by author Azam Mahdavi and translated by Parisa Saranj, is short and approachable. Each beautifully illustrated two-page spread has only one sentence, making it an ideal quiet read-aloud for preschoolers. Older readers, however, will find a world of meaning in each sentence. The tones and shades used by illustrator Maryam Tahmasebi change to reflect the protagonist’s emotional state. The initial shadows and grays change into shades of pale yellow, rose, and blue, eventually becoming full color illustrations suffused with warm golden light.

This book is highly appropriate for both children and adults, especially those who may be dealing with grief and loss. It would also be suitable in a context where bibliotherapy is being used, for example. In the classroom, this would serve as an excellent text for social emotional learning. Libraries looking to further diversify their collections would do well to purchase this luminous example of Iranian literature. Empty and Me is one of the best picture books I have read this year; it is sad, yes, but also hopeful. It will stay with you, quiet and constant.

Title:  Empty and Me: A Tale of Friendship and Loss

Written by Azam Mahdavi

Illustrated by Maryam Tahmasebi

Translated from Persian by Parisa Saranj

Lee & Low Books, 2023

Originally published as Kahli 2021, Houpaa Books

Awards: Junior Library Guild Selection; Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Featured Artist, 2023

ISBN: 9781643796222

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Reviews: Kirkus, School Library Journal, Foreword Reviews

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Klem-Marí Cajigas has been with Nashville Public Library since 2012, after more than a decade of academic training in Religious Studies and Ministry. As the Family Literacy Coordinator for Bringing Books to Life!, Nashville Public Library’s award-winning early literacy outreach program, she delivers family literacy workshops to a diverse range of local communities. In recognition of her work, she was named a 2021 Library Journal “Mover and Shaker.” Born in Puerto Rico, Klem-Marí is bilingual, bicultural, and proudly Boricua.