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Nov 21, 2011wallyb rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Hayyat is a Palestinian girl who lives in Bethlehem with her family, including her aging and ailing grandmother. When the grandmother gets sick, she and her best friend, a Christian boy, make a dangerous journey to Jerusalem to find a handful of soil that Hayyat believes will help save her grandmother’s life. I really liked this book. Hayyat and all of her friends and family are entirely believable and human, with lots of feeling and individuality. The setting might require a map to really understand the situation, but is drawn in such great detail that the reader feels present in these hot cities. The main plot finds its way quickly to their quest and ends nicely. This book would work well for any class studying the Mideast or the intersection of Islam and Christianity, and is just a great read about a place that doesn’t get much attention in teen novels. Highly recommended for grades 6-12. It could go younger, but some violent scenes in a flashback might upset younger kids.