Samy is a typical teen and provides some of the lighter more humorous moments in this tension filled day.  They encounter another Palestinian boy, Wasim, who fills Sammy’s head with stories of international travel as a potential soccer star. They  join up with David and Grace, two  American born Israeli peace activists. At one point  David climbs the wall and encourages the children to  follow him over the wall and into Jerusalem.

The story is filled with tension as the two travel to get some soil.  The story is remarkable in that the author presents the Palestinian side of this on-going conflict in  a simple easy to understand manner. We meet a variety of travelers inconvenienced by that ubiquitous wall. The reader is left not with any resolution, but, importantly, I think an understanding of what is really happening in that part of the world where peace and harmony are absent.  This book has much  for readers to ponder and discuss.  Believe me, it is an enjoyable day’s travel with two intrepid teens.  Much humor sprinkled liberally with great pathos makes this book a TRUE Winner!

Israeli Palestinian conflict  as seen through the eyes of Palestinian teens,  living under military occupation,  international influence of sport of soccer,  Palestinian family,  dispossessed of home and land home.  All readers from Middle school up; story even has elements which would appeal to high school students.  Current history packaged interestingly.  Author’s previous books have been well received.

After the news is accepted, Natalie’s family arranges for her to attend a School for the Blind. Her eyesight at this point is still functioning on a limited basis and the family feels this will help Natalie when all of her sight is gone. Initially Natalie is withdrawn and tries to weather this new school without any companionship. She starts out as a single but son is assigned a roommate.

Learning how to function safely as a blind person is a challenge at first. However, as she loses more and more of her extremely limited sight she adapts and learns quickly.  One of the major exams, going alone to a shopping center, she passes successfully. Natalie seems to be well on her way to being able to survive independently and successfully as a blind person.

When her roommate leaves school on her own  and needs rescuing , Natalie is called on for help. This real situation has none of the safety features provided during Natalie’s exam and she is truly put to the test. The suspense builds and builds as the two blind girls are on their own in an attempt to return to the safety of the school.

In addition to a marvelous story of Natalie’s fight to learn life as a blind person. there is much  information on how a blind person is trained to be independent. The story is intriguing and should easily capture the interest of any middle-schooler or high school boy or girl. There is even a developing love interest for Natalie and a male student at the school.

Meli’s family are Albanian living in Serbia.  This alone causes conflict.  Meli’s family is forced to flee from their home to seek sanctuary elsewhere. They load the family farm truck with provisions but before they can leave the soldiers come and confiscate the truck  and its contents. Now the extended family, including an aged grandmother, set out to walk to the border. The survival of the family is amazing as they cobble together shelter and food along the way.

The family finally make their way to a Displaced Persons encampment in Macedonia, ultimately going to Barre  Vermont where they now reside.

The sisters, 13 year old Millie and her younger sister Maura, know they have to escape from the village to seek safety. Millie recalls her father’s stories about settlements down the river. With meager supplies and little equipment the sisters set out to find safety.  The journey through the wilderness is harrowing and frightening to say the least. The stamina and courage each girl musters will hold every readers’ rapt attention.

Overcoming nature’s obstacles,  as well as those of man,  are handled with dignity. Their ultimate survival comes through their great devotion and love for each other. Native lore abounds in and during this amazing story.

Bill starts the journey looking at the cosmos goes to the size of the earth, to  our dangerous planet ending on the road to us.  The trip is arranged and studded with fact after fact  building to a picture of us today. Each chapter, and even each  smaller  piece,  contains information the reader needs to develop a complete understanding of us and our world.

I opened the book probably halfway and almost two hours later found myself at its  end. I was totally taken on  a memorable educational journey. I am not usually a non-fiction devotee, but Mr Bryson has a gift for language any adult will enjoy.  His A WALK IN THE WOODS,  and the companion radio shows,  about travel on the Appalachian Trail are treasured memories for this adult reader.

Copies of this book should be in every classroom library for students to simply pore over at their leisure. You might even consider chaining to the bookshelf to discourage it walking away. A definite MUST! This newly illustrated, abridged and adapted edition was originally published in Great Britain in 2003.

The first image to hit the reader comes from the title page. Minimum amount of text giving pertinent data about the book at the top of the two page spread. One’s eyes instead are drawn immediately to the body of a black man floating the stream on the bottom half of the page. No words other than the book data. What a shocking sight. It helps set up the reader for what is to come.

The poems in the following pages recount the struggle of the black man from Jim Crow Days to today. Each page speaks of the horrible actions as white men have tried to keep the blacks in America subjugated.  One can literally taste the hatred; feel the hatred and I believe even smell the anger and hatred blacks faced in their fight for freedom.

I found the poetry astonishing. Ms Shange, poet, playwright and children’s author expresses in a few well-chosen words the emotions and innermost feeling of the paintings for each happening. Yet in those few words the reader/listener is awash with emotions.

I do not know which came first, and it makes no nevermind. The marriage of artistic talents here MUST be shared with school children around the world.

This amazing book comes to us in picturebook form. And that is appropriate and beautiful–truly beautiful.  Unfortunately this book will be placed in an elementary library. I do not believe many young children will truly appreciate or learn any message from this book.  This book needs a place in a Middle School or High School Library where students can discuss the impact of the words and pictures on themselves and others around them.

This is THE Book to examine and study during Black History Month. From my limited vantage point,  it seems young black students today lack any real deep understanding of what their parents and forefathers  endured  to bring them the style of life and living they now enjoy. This book with all of its brutality so clearly  depicted  in words and paint would educate todays’ youth.

Let the questions come. Let the discussion begin. Maybe somewhere a youth will find an answer he/she can share with the troubled world.

This order affects Paula Becker and family. Paula is deaf and thus condemned to die. Her family priest urges her to flee first to a friendly farm where she learns German Sign Language. After several near captures Paula and another escapee, Kurt, flee to the forest. As the war winds down Paula makes it back home, and Kurt, having no family left, joins her.

This is a novel in verse making the reading very very quick. But no matter how fast it is consumed,  the emotional effect is outstanding. The reader develops keen hearing as he/she awaits the sounds of the Gestapo trying to capture Paula. Remarkable in its simplicity and brevity and a glimpse at the lives of the German people during this horrific period of history.
Novel, hardcover, available now.