Do Not Forget Me

Gulnoz spends the summer with her grandmother Khalima in the country. Time seems to stand still in the mountains of Uzbekistan where everything is so different and new for the little girl from the city. Gulnoz does not need any toys at her grandmother’s home. There are so many exciting things to discover on her excursions in the beautiful landscape: goldfish in the river, a hedgehog in the meadow, a rabbit in the bush. She even makes friends with a black, homeless dog and takes him home. And there is Botir, a village boy who is going to start school soon and secretly teaches her to swim. Or old uncle Yarash, whom Gulnoz visits so often and who gives them melons although Botir has stolen him one. But what she likes most is Khalima’s stories that tell of love and friendship, of her grandfather, who Gulnoz never met, and of taking farewell. Only same-aged Dilbar gives Gulnoz a rough time. She always finds fault with her. But in some respects, she knows much more than Gulnoz: e.g. the fact that babies are not traded on the market but born at hospital. So at the end of this exciting summer, Gulnoz will not only have a little brother and know that her mom gave birth to him. She will also have gained important experiences that make her a “big girl”.