Zuni and the Memory Jar

PreS-Gr 2–Saeed (The Together Tree) and Rawat (Masala Chai) team up for a sweet picture book about appreciating the small things that one day become big things. Zuni’s family has a memory jar for special notes and photos about important events. It’s where her older brother Adam places a photo of his game-winning goal from soccer and her older sister Sophie puts the program from her piano recital, but Zuni doesn’t have anything to offer. After Nani places a blue ribbon from her prize-winning quilt in the jar, she says “Just watch, Zuni Zoo! Someday you’ll have ribbons, too.” Rawat’s beautiful illustrations show Zuni busily drawing in her notebook, and when it’s time to open the jar on December 31, Zuni reveals her notebook full of her own memories from each of the special events already noted in the jar including serving water at her mother’s race and stopping a soccer ball while playing with friends during her brother’s game. The colorful artwork and detail in Zuni’s facial expressions help spread the joyful lesson. Author’s note includes information on how their family uses a similar jar.