Amidst the upheaval of war, a young girl and her family leave their homeland and face the challenges of adapting to a new life in a foreign land, but find comfort in a star-shaped cardboard lamp reminiscent of the one they cherished back home.
War
The Secret Elephant: Inspired By A True Story Of Friendship
Amidst the antics of monkeys and the presence of lions and giraffes, a looming war casts a shadow over the once-bustling zoo. As visitors dwindle and fear pervades the air, most animals seek solace with their companions, leaving one baby elephant alone and vulnerable. Amidst the chaos of bombs and uncertainty, the elephant’s keeper remains a steadfast presence, offering comfort and companionship.
When the situation becomes untenable, the keeper makes a bold decision to bring the elephant home, forging an unbreakable bond between them. Despite the challenges of concealing such a large creature, their friendship endures, even when wartime pressures demand the elephant’s return to the zoo. Undeterred by separation, the keeper stands by her friend’s side, finding solace amidst the chaos of conflict.
Inspired by a poignant true story from the Belfast Zoo during World War II, this book resonates with the spirit of resilience and empathy, reminiscent of beloved tales like “The One and Only Ivan” and the acclaimed documentary “The Elephant Whisperer.”
A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin
In Roseanne A. Brown’s captivating debut novel, “A Song of Wraiths and Ruin,” readers are transported to a world inspired by West African folklore, where two unlikely adversaries find themselves drawn together by fate and circumstance.
Malik, a desperate refugee fleeing war-torn lands, sees the Solstasia festival in the prosperous desert city of Ziran as a chance to secure a better life for himself and his sisters. However, when his younger sister Nadia is abducted by a vengeful spirit demanding the life of Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran, Malik strikes a dangerous bargain—to assassinate Karina in exchange for Nadia’s freedom.
Set against a backdrop of ancient evils and simmering tensions, “A Song of Wraiths and Ruin” is a gripping tale of injustice, magic, and romance. With its richly imagined world and compelling characters, this New York Times bestseller is sure to enchant readers.
Wild Poppies
Two brothers, Omar and Sufyan, strive to reunite as they endure the turmoil of the Syrian War. With the passing of their father, Omar tries to be the man and head of his family of Syrian refugees, but in his youngest brother’s eyes, he has failed. While Omar waits in line for rations, younger brother, Sufyan, explores nontraditional methods to provide for the family by getting involved with a group that provides large rewards for doing, what seems to be, inconsequential tasks, despite his older brother’s warnings. As Sufyan’s involvement gets more intense, resulting in his separation from the family, it becomes up to bookish Omar to rescue his little brother and reunite them with their family.
These Olive Trees
The story of a Palestinian family’s ties to the land, and how one young girl finds a way to care for her home, even as she says goodbye.
Featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 1.
Yellow Butterfly: A Story From Ukraine
A wordless picture book portrayal of war seen through the eyes of a young girl who finds hope in the symbolism of yellow butterflies against the background of a pure blue sky. Using the colors of his national flag, Oleksandr Shatokhin has created a deeply emotional response to the conflict in Ukraine and provided a narrative full of powerful visual metaphors for readers to consider as they travel from the devastating effects of war to a place of hope for peace and the future.
Yellow Butterfly is featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 3.
Dounia And The Magic Seeds
Dounia is the story of a little girl who loves her home city of Aleppo, Syria, and its many smells, sights, and traditions. But when war breaks out, Dounia and her grandparents must flee Aleppo to find safety. Before they go, their neighbour reads their future in a cup of coffee, she sees a long difficult journey ahead of the family and a blue house awaiting them at the end. Taking only a bird carved from Aleppo soap and four little barake seeds in her pocket, Dounia faces dangerous waters, a camp surrounded by barbed wire, and unfriendly soldiers, and she wonders where she and her family belong in the world. Remembering the ancient knowledge that barake seeds ward off evil, she pulls one from her pocket to use for each of the threats they face. Magically, the seeds from their faraway home help them along their way, until they finally find the blue house at the end of their journey.
In her new home, Dounia plants her final seed in a pot so it can grow and offer more seeds, while also keeping a piece of Aleppo with her. The baraké seeds represent the Syrian culture. Although Dounia is fleeing her country, she carries with her the strength of her people. It is by tapping into her roots, represented by the seeds, that she finds her own strength and resilience. The magical moments brought about by the baraké seeds can be interpreted as Dounia’s imagination it’s a way of seeing the war and the migration from a six year old’s perspective. Dounia does not understand everything that is going on, but she is not a powerless victim. By using the seeds, she feels she is taking an active part in her own destiny. In the end, whether it is magic or Dounia’s imagination at play, it’s a story about obstacles faced by migrants and about the courage they have in facing these obstacles. As Marya puts it in her article for TBI Magazine, it reverses the common narrative in North American media that Syria is synonymous with devastation and destruction, and that Syrian refugees can only be victims of their circumstance, rather than brave, vibrant heroes who can take charge of their own stories.
I Remember
A recognition of Muslim loyalty and sacrifice during WW1 portrayed through a letter between a Muslim grandchild to his/her war hero great-grandpa to reassure him that his story and bravery will never be forgotten.
Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies: Unsung Women Of The Holocaust
Discover nine ordinary women who took extraordinary measures to save lives during the Holocaust, resisting terror and torture while undercover or in hiding, in concentration camps, in forests, and in exile.
Noor And Bobby
In a besieged city, Noor watches as his neighbors pack their bags and flee their homes-but a dog named Bobby is left behind. As Noor sets out across the ravaged city to save him, he discovers pockets of life and hope in this moving story of friendship in the face of adversity.