BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

Tal is a teenage Israeli girl searching for reasons. She sends out a message in a bottle, only to hear from a young, angry Palestinian boy. The two exchange sporadic emails, seemingly prompted mostly by Tal, sharing their worlds and the frustration, sadness, and want for change between both sides of the border separating them. A BOTTLE IN THE GAZA SEA by Valerie Zenatti, shows both sides of a never-ending war between two cultures over the right to live in a place that defines both their histories. Told from both characters perspectives, the story is emotional, vivid, and pertinent for any readers 6th grade and up.

SILENT MUSIC

Ali is a young boy who lives in Baghdad where bombs and missiles are destroying everything around him. However, he is such a strong boy that he refuses to let his spirit be broken in any way. His love for calligraphy gives him the hope to try to stay alive so that he can continue to make beautiful calligraphy just like his hero Yakut.

Yakut is one of the most famous calligraphist who also happened to be living in Baghdad during the 1258 war when the Mongols attacked his county.

The illustrations in the book are just beautiful with a lot of rich earthy colors with some Arabic writing. This story is poetic, informative and heartbreaking.

SILENT MUSIC: A STORY OF BAGHDAD is written by JAMES RUMFORD.

For grades 2nd through 6th.