I Want You to Know

This poem with vibrant and colorful illustrations opens a conversation with young readers about family bonds and the lasting impacts of war.

Anyone who has had to leave ＂home＂ and readers who loved the author’s picture book collaboration with Innosanto Nagara, Together, will want to read I Want You to Know.

＂I want you to know that you are still of the place
That our ancestors have known.
The place that they called home.＂

How do we speak with our children about wars that took place where generations of our ancestors once called home? How can we explain that those wars continue to reverberate in our lives, many years or even decades after the combat has ended? And why is it so difficult, complicated, and even painful to dream of our return? I Want You to Know is a poem of possibility, of legacy, and of hope.

Damluji originally wrote a version of this poem for her daughter on the morning of the 20-year anniversary of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, a place where generations of Damluji’s family had lived, loved, and cared for one another until it was no longer safe to stay. Her daughter has heard many family stories about life in Iraq, but there have also been many silences. I Want You to Know opens a conversation that helps to fill that void.

Mona Damluji writes, studies and teaches about oil cultures, cinema history and the Middle East as an assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara. She is a co-producer of the Peabody and Emmy-nominated web series The Secret Life of Muslims, and has curated exhibits and events around the globe that feature path-breaking art, film, photography, and comics. Mona and her partner live in California with their two hilarious children.

Ishtar Bäcklund Dakhil intertwines her Swedish and Iraqi heritage in her vibrant art. A graduate of Konstfack and California College of the Arts, Ishtar’s primary passion lies in the enchanting world of children’s books. Her creative exploration of the picture book format has led to innovative ways of engaging readers, incorporating virtual reality techniques for interactive experiences. With a keen focus on the interplay between text and image, Ishtar crafts narratives that resonate with depth and imagination. Her global travels inspire process-based workshops and mural projects, creating spaces for diverse storytelling and collaboration. Rooted in cultural exchange, her artistry reflects a celebration of diversity. She lives in Sweden and Australia.