It’s a Book Birthday party here today with both the author and illustrator of
Nadine Presley & Heather Brockman Lee
(Harper Collins)
About the Book
“A breathtaking narrative of love, courage and optimism.” — STARRED Kirkus
About the Author:
Nadine Presley is a Syrian Canadian author who grew up in Damascus. She’s held the beauty of her hometown in her heart ever since she left over a decade ago, and now she gets to share it with the world. Nadine currently lives in Canada, her home away from home, where she works as a literacy educator and a speaker for children, youth, and adults, with a passion for promoting pride in Arab Muslim heritage. Her other passions include cooking delicious Syrian food and being squeezed very tight by her boys. The City of Jasmine is her picture book debut.
About the Illustrator:
Heather Brockman Lee is an author and illustrator of books for children. Her illustration works include When You Love a Book (Kaz Windness / PRH), A Poem Grows Inside You ( Katey Howes / The Innovation Press), She Is Mama (Mackenzie Porter / Little Simon), and more. Heather lives in the shadow of the Colorado foothills with her family and dog.
Let’s ask some questions!
Q 1. Nadine: What inspired you to write City of Jasmine?
Nadine Presley: What inspired me to write The City of Jasmine was a deep desire to memorialize the memories of my home, moments filled with love, beauty, and resilience that no tragedy or time can erase. Damascus is more than headlines or rubble; it’s laughter, scents, warmth, and connection.
It’s a place of rich culture, strong community, and incredible diversity. With Heather Brockman Lee’s breathtaking illustrations, the book became a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of Syria—a place that deserves to be seen, celebrated, and remembered in its true light.
Surprises and Favorites
Q 2. Nadine: What was one of the most surprising discoveries you made in creating this book?
Nadine Presley: I was surprised by how deeply healing the process of creating The City of Jasmine became. Writing the book allowed me to reconnect with my memories in a way I hadn’t anticipated, giving me the space to relive the beauty I grew up with and reclaim a version of myself that had long been overshadowed by media portrayals, essentially rediscovering a part of me that had been lost or silenced by how my story was often told.
Q 3. Heather: What was your favorite part about doing research on Damascus?
Heather Brockman Lee: Doing a deep dive into the huge variety of mosaics and tile work! Absolutely stunning.
Q 4. Nadine: What surprises did Heather bring to your story?
Nadine Presley: Heather brings a warmth and depth to The City of Jasmine that I never could have imagined. Her illustrations capture the spirit of Damascus so beautifully, filling each page with authenticity and emotion.
What surprises me most is how she brings the streets of Damascus to life in her artwork, making me feel like I’m walking through the city myself—even though she’s never been there. Her ability to capture Syria’s beauty is truly magical. It feels like she taps into the heart of the story and brings it to life with so much respect and love. I also am in awe of Heather’s incredible mosaic and tile work through out the book.
Q 5. Nadine & Heather: What’s your favorite spread?
Heather Brockman Lee: That is a hard question because they were all so fun to create, but I can tell you that the Umayyad Mosque was the very last spread I painted because I was most nervous about getting it right, and when it came together that was a pretty amazing feeling. Sometimes the most challenging pieces are my favorites.
written by Nadine Presley (Sleeping Bear Press.)
Nadine Presley: My favorite spread is also the one of The Umayyad Mosque. It’s such a special place, and it just makes my heart so happy looking at how gorgeous it turned out.
Illustration Research & Challenges
Q 6. Heather: Did your research into the details and locations of Damascus — -or Nadine’s text — take your illustrations in a direction you didn’t expect?
Heather Brockman Lee: Yes! Pretty early in the process of studying Damascus (Nadine also provided me with wonderful resources!) I really thought about the mediums I could use to best represent the place and the telling of Nadine’s story, and I decided to try a lot of paper cut combined with watercolor and a lot of different textures.
Heather Brockman Lee: It is such an old city with an incredible amount of history, but seems to come together in a beautiful cohesive way, so I wanted to try to represent that with layers and textures in a way I couldn’t have done just using paint. I have done some collage illustration before, but this was the most intense.
Q 7. Heather: What was the biggest challenge you encountered in this project?
Heather Brockman Lee: Damascus is such a beloved city to so many, I wanted to really honor the culture and people of Damascus but I was not able to visit it in person. Nadine was in invaluable resource there, and I also used as much Google Earth and street view as possible, to sort of virtually explore and try to get a sense of the city.
I also read a lot of books about the area and the history of art and architecture there, but I could still never be 100 percent sure I was doing it justice. Most of the time when illustrating a picture book, we artists like to put our own spin on things. For this book I really just wanted to capture the city as a respectful observer. I am very grateful for the support of our team and the way they involved Nadine in the art process.
written by Nadine Presley (Sleeping Bear Press.)
Writing Process
Q 8. Nadine: The lyrical text of your story reminds me of an “I am from…” prompt for student writers. (Heads up Teachers –This book could be a prompt of its own!) Nadine: Can you describe you writing process for this book?
Nadine Presley: I began by reflecting on the sights, sounds, and smells of my childhood, recalling the moments that made the city feel alive. I spent a lot of time revisiting and cherishing the small details that shaped who I am, allowing the memories to guide the story.
As I wrote, I focused on bringing those sensory details to life, so readers could feel fully immersed in the young girl’s journey. I wanted to make sure the emotions were vivid, and the experience was real for anyone reading, as if they were walking through the streets of Damascus themselves. Every word, every image was chosen carefully to capture the essence of my memories and share them in a way that felt personal and resonated deeply with others.
Takeaways
Q 9. What do you hope readers will take away from reading this book?
Heather Brockman Lee: The beauty, rich culture and history of Damascus, and also our shared humanity no matter where we are from.
Nadine Presley: I hope readers will walk away with a deeper appreciation for the beauty, resilience, and love that exists in places like Damascus, beyond the images they may have seen in the media.
I hope readers connect with the universal themes of home, belonging, and the power of memory—how our memories shape who we are and the ways they continue to live on, even in the face of adversity. Ultimately,
I hope the book encourages readers to reflect on what makes their own homes special, and to embrace our shared humanity.
What’s Next?
Q 10. Are there upcoming projects either of you can share?
Heather Brockman Lee: Yes I have a few books coming up- in 2026 my debut as an author/ illustrator called Poppy’s Umbrella, and a collaboration with my good friend Z.B. Asterplume called To Knit a Ghost.
Nadine Presley: I have two upcoming picture books in 2026. A Ramadan Night (S&S) illustrated by Asma Enayeh, followed by Where There is Love (Harper Collins) illustrated by Leanne Hatch.
Congratulations to you both and thank you for joining us on the blog today.
To learn more about these creators, check out their websites and follow them on social media:
heatherbrockmanlee.com nadinepresley.com
@heatherbrockmanlee on BlueSky, Flashes and Instagram
Instagram: @nadinepresleyauthor Bluesky: @nadinepresley.bsky.social
Next on the blog:
We chat with Mia Wenjen aka Pragmaticmom about her newest book,
THE TRAVELING TACO
The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods
Illus. Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Red Comet Press)
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