A Knot Is Not a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri, Vesper Stamper
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on November 25, 2025
ISBN: 0593809696
Genres: Immigrants, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

There is so much I love about this book. There are multiple topics for discussion in this poignant picture book about an Iranian boy learning to make a new family rug with his grandmother. Together, they wash and dye the wool, design the rug, and tie the knots. He becomes frustrated when his knots aren’t perfect like his grandmother’s. She teaches him about imperfection, tradition, and togetherness. The beautiful illustrations and descriptions of rug-making in this book make it a one that every library should own, especially in the current social climate in this country. All ages.

Nominated for Cream of the Crop

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library