Overview
In this groundbreaking memoir set in Ramallah during the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, Ibtisam Barakat captures what it is like to be a child whose world is shattered by war. With candor and courage, she stitches together memories of her childhood: fear and confusion as bombs explode near her home; the harshness of life as a Palestinian refugee; her unexpected joy when she discovers Alef, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. This is the beginning of her passionate connection to words, and as language becomes her refuge, allowing her to piece together the fragments of her world, it becomes her true home. Transcending the particulars of politics, this illuminating and timely book provides a telling glimpse into a little-known culture that has become an increasingly important part of the puzzle of world peace.
Full Product Details
Author: Ibtisam Barakat ,
Ibtisam Bakarat
Publisher: Palgrave USA
Imprint: Square Fish
Dimensions:
Width: 13.90cm
, Height: 1.40cm
, Length: 20.90cm
Weight: 0.186kg
ISBN: 9781250097187
ISBN 10: 1250097185
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 25 October 2016
Recommended Age: From 11 years
Audience:
Young adult
,
Teenage / Young adult
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: To order
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.
Reviews
A spare, eloquent memoir. . . . What makes [it] so compelling is the immediacy of the child's viewpoint, which depicts both conflict and daily life without exploitation or sentimentality. -- Booklist Beautifully crafted vignettes . . .[bring] to life a Palestinian world that may be unfamiliar to American readers, but which they will come to know and appreciate. Readers will be charmed by the writer-to-be as she falls in love with chalk, the Arabic alphabet, and the first-grade teacher who recognizes her abilities. -- School Library Journal
A spare, eloquent memoir. . . . What makes [it] so compelling is the immediacy of the child's viewpoint, which depicts both conflict and daily life without exploitation or sentimentality. -- Booklist
""A spare, eloquent memoir. . . . What makes [it] so compelling is the immediacy of the child's viewpoint, which depicts both conflict and daily life without exploitation or sentimentality."" --""Booklist"" ""Beautifully crafted vignettes . . .[bring] to life a Palestinian world that may be unfamiliar to American readers, but which they will come to know and appreciate. Readers will be charmed by the writer-to-be as she falls in love with chalk, the Arabic alphabet, and the first-grade teacher who recognizes her abilities."" --""School Library Journal""
Author Information
Ibtisam Barakat is the author of Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood, which received three starred reviews and was the winner of the Arab American National Museum Book Award. She is also a poet, speaker, and social justice advocate, especially in the lives of children and teens. She was born in Beit Hanina, East Jersulaem, grew up in Ramallah, Palestine, and currently lives in Columbia, Missouri. ibtisambarakat.com
