Love in Every Language

A companion picture book to Anoosha Syed’s critically acclaimed debut, That’s Not My Name!, about expressing love across language barriers and the universal message that actions speak louder than words.

Mirha speaks English and her nani (maternal grandmother) speaks Urdu, so Mirha’s parents bridge the gap by translating for the two of them. Despite the language barrier, Mirha loves her nani because she oils her hair until it shines and always keeps her purse full of sweets. 

When both of Mirha’s parents have to leave early for work one day, Nani takes Mirha to school instead, but she misunderstands Mirha’s breakfast request and forgets to pack her favorite stuffie for show-and-tell. And worst of all, she doesn’t say “I love you” back to Mirha at the bus stop.

Mirha is not only frustrated by the miscommunications, but she’s also afraid that her nani doesn’t love her because she doesn’t say the words out loud. So Mirha’s parents explain that not every language has the words for “I love you” the way that English does. But the feeling is universal, and in many cultures, actions will always speak louder than words.