I can’t remember the last time I read something that offered me such a different perspective than the one I am used to hearing about. I don’t know this is something typical of most people in the United States due to media coverage, or whether it’s more personal because I know more Jews than Muslims, but the plight of the Palestinians has never really been something I knew very much about. You hear the news reports of bombings, the words West Bank and Gaza Strip, but I personally was ignorant about what life was like for Palestinians and I expect many readers in the target age group are as well.
Karim and his family live in Ramallah, a city which is frequently subjected to tight curfew. The book opens with all of the families completely trapped within their homes while Israel tanks patrol nearby. When everyone is finally given an hour outside, people rush to buy food and medicine for loved ones. School is rarely in session; students pick up work to complete at home, at first due to the restrictions about leaving their homes and later because their school has been destroyed. Karim longs for some normalcy, hanging out with his friends, playing soccer, things that many kids are liable to take for granted. One day he meets a classmate on the outskirts of town by the refugee camps and they begin clearing rubble to make a place of their own. But their days of freedom are short-lived as tanks roll back in imposing another curfew. Karim does not make it back home in time and must hide, waiting and hoping he will be able to safely make his way back home.
For a book that deals with children leading an almost unthinkable life, A Little Piece of Ground manages to convey the gravity of the situation without resorting to graphic violence or sensationalism. Laird shows the psychological effects that living in an occupied zone has on both children and adults. The only thing that was very difficult for me were the parts where Karim rejoices in Israeli deaths, talks about how suicide bombers are martyrs and where people shout Death to Israel. These are hard things because this is how the news often depicts Palestinians, fervent, violent, jubilant at the deaths of their enemies. But I think Laird manages to show why Karim and his brother might feel this way. I also think it’s important for kids to consider why during violent and longstanding conflicts like this people sometimes find themselves unable to just wish for peace.
Age Recommendation: I don’t think the text was terrible difficult and the violence, as I said before was manageable. But I think the deeper issues at play here, from the psychological effects of living in a war zone to the long standing nature of the conflict between Israel and Palestine make the book more complicated. As I mentioned, I am an adult and I had little background knowledge. I know many children will find themselves at an even greater disadvantage. I would therefore recommend this for Grades 6+ with the caveat that some younger readers with strong comprehension skills and an interest in the subject matter may be able to read it at a younger age.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Karim’s brother wants a picture of a girl.
Profanity – “damned”, “moron”, “hell”,
Death, Violence and Gore – A boy hopes that if he is shot he will not be shot in the head and spine and will be able to recover. A tank is visible outside their bedroom window. Palestinian gunmen shot two Israelis. Much violence is relayed via news reports: Five Palestinians including two children are killed. A refugee camp is shelled killing nine including a three-year old. Five people died and three children were injured when a gunman opened fire on an empty street. In a village settlers kill three and wound one. Soldiers are heavily armed. People throw rocks, stones at others and at tanks. Petrol bombs are thrown at cars. People are shot at. People who lay in the road to prevent having their land stolen are run over by tanks. A boy is killed. A boy loses an eye. A suicide bomber in Jerusalem kills 11, four of whom were middle school students. There’s talk of people losing limbs in the bombings. People are killed by tank shells, houses are destroyed by bulldozers. A man is killed in an accident. His family never is told the full details. A man remembers when his family was forced from their home and many were shot. A teacher hits a student, then grabs his hair and yanks his head back. A student has previously been beaten by teachers. Students listen to bombings from their classroom. Tank shells blast homes. Five are injured. Three more killed, including an eight year old boy. An elderly woman is crushed to death when tanks demolish houses. A soldier is wounded. Boys shout “Death to Israel”. A boy cuts his head on an air conditioner. A boy twists his ankle. A boy is shot in the leg, another in the arm. A kitten is killed by a tank. A boy was tortured in prison. It is described, but not in too graphic a way. They just say he was forced to breathe filth with a bag over his head and that his arms and legs were bound.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – There are a large number of people living in refugee camps. They are looked down on by people who live in the town. Roadblocks are set up all over. Men are forced out of cars and made to strip to their underwear. Land is stolen from its owners. There are fears of reprisals after every strike against Israel. People are in danger during curfew simply from running out of medicine. Karim reacts with joy when Israelis are killed. This is a complicated thing. He believes the bomber to be a hero, a martyr. (This is on page 53 of the text should you wish to review it). Boys are stranded on a rooftop as soldiers search for a bomber. They are afraid of being spotted by a helicopter or by heat seeking technology. Every time Karim is late getting home his mother fears he is dead or injured. A boy fights back against soldiers who are questioning his identity and gets arrested and taken to prison. A boy freezes and whimpers when he hears bombs or shooting. Other kids know it has something to do with what happened to his father, but they don’t know what. A boy fears that those in prison will die. Many people are arrested. A girl repeatedly wets the bed in fear. A man struggles with depression. A boy is caught out during curfew and must hide lest the soldiers find him.
