Sami and the Time of the Troubles

So much to talk about with this book. My students were enthralled both by the story and the pictures and the author uses such beautiful language. We used it as part of a unit on children and war then went back to it for its prose. We found it suitable for grades four and up.

Bought this as part of the Build Your Library kindergarten curriculum. Wonderful book for any home library!

I give this book four stars instead of five for to reasons:1. the book needs to clearly state the setting and situation early on in order to keep the interest of children who will otherise be confused and thus bored. A little more clarity may make it less artsy for adults but it is essential for children.2. Many of the illustrations are too similar. The are very beautiful but again they are a bit adult-focused. A shot of the toys the boy plays with while trapped in the cellars or the food they eat, rather than repeated scenes of sitting on rugs would be better for kids.That said, this type of book is far too rare. The portrayal of culture in the book is very nice. I am a former conflict correspondent and I've been in villages under air attack and seen children huddling in cellars just like this. The atmosphere and facts are all very realistic and done in a way that children can probably relate to, if given a little explanation in advance, which is the bit missing in the book. So, go with this book but be ready to do a little explaining. Another excellent book with less great illustrations but better explanation is The Library of Basra. Used together they may be able to help children understand the issues of war.

Interesting story.