Summary: Ibtisam is Palestinian. She is only three years old when the Six Days War with Israel begins. As her village is coming under attack, her family flees on foot through the night to Jordan, where they live for the next several months as refugees. When Ibtisam's family is finally allowed to return to Ramallah, their home town, they find that the Israeli military has set up an encampment close to their home. There is frequent gunfire, and they fear for their lives. In order to protect them, Ibtisam's mother puts her children into orphanages, but here, life is even more miserable. Her father fortifies their house and the family moves back home. They feel a bit safer now, and life starts to return to normal. Ibtisam has a pet goat, she goes to school, and a circumcision celebration is held for her brothers. But, no matter how normal things seem, throughout her childhood, Ibtisam can never forget that she is not completely free. The Israeli army is always there, and she never knows when they might decide to crack down on the Palestinians.
Interest Level: 6th-9th Grades
Barakat, I. (2007). Tasting the sky: A Palestinian childhood. New York: Melanie Krupa Books.
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