Customer Reviews

A Little Piece of Ground

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

A touching novel, written for young adults but immensely relevant to all ages. The author has successfully captured the hopes, the despair, the national pride, and the sheer endurance of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. The humanity of the jittery and frightened young Israeli soldiers is also exquisitely and poignantly portrayed. Until recently, this book was only published in the UK. The advent of this US edition is very timely as I consider the subject matter to be generally relevant to today's situation in the Middle East. In fact, the topic is universal, describing with direct story telling, the psychological effect of war, oppression, humiliation, and discrimination on real people, whether in Palestine, the former apartheid South Africa, or occupied Europe during World War II. This book ought to be required reading in all high schools in all countries, including Israel.

Elizabeth Laird is a prize winning author who has written acclaimed novels of children in many areas of the world. In A Little Piece of Ground, Laird gives the reader a picture of life in Israeli occupied Ramallah. Through the eyes of Karim, a young Palestinian who wants to grow up in freedom and to have a little piece of ground for a soccer field, we see the horrors of the occupation and discover how the ongoing brutal occupation fuels the anger of Palestinians. This book is a MUST read for those who want to see and get a better understanding of the side that is not usually portrayed in our media.
Although this book has been printed in UK it has, until now, unlike Laird's other works, not been available in the US due to the subject matter. I am pleased that Amazon is offering this important book.

"A Little Piece of Ground", by the well respected author Elizabeth Laird, confirms her place in the English speaking world as a major writer of children's literature. With over one hundred published titles she once again proves that she is not afraid to tackle difficult and controversial subjects. She continues to be interested in children that are placed in harm's way or who have to make difficult decisions. In her book "Loving Ben" she tells the story of a girl who must come to terms with the birth of a hydrocelphalic brother. "Jakes Tower" tells the story of a boy living with an abusive father and in "Kiss the Dust", she tells the harrowing tale of a young Kurdish girl in Iraq and her family's flight to safety. She continues the theme of living with adversity in "A Little Piece of Ground" with the description of a young boy's life in war ravaged Palestine. While the book is aimed at younger readers it should be read by everyone who wants to be informed about the tragic and seemingly endless cycle of violence that has dominated this "little piece of ground" for more that a thousand years. It is welcome news that this book is finally published in the United States after a delay of three years.

This is a heart-felt story of a young Palestinian boy that enjoys playing soccer and the many difficulties he has to face in occupied Palestine. The story is told very well and while there are a few tense moments I did not find it heavy-handed in the telling. A great story for teen-agers and adults.

This book is an authentic account of the circumstances that prevailed in Ramallah in the year 2000 and how Palestinian children were influenced by them. The main character aspires to be a champion soccer star and all he wants to do is play, play, play with his friends. The ground he lives on keeps shrinking under his feet as he and his teenage friends clear the rubble froma small lot near a refugee camp to make a soccer field. They come face to face with Israeli soldiers and tanks and are nearly killed. They survive and go on.For the first time we have a vivid and well written account of Palestinian children as human beings.

'A Little Piece of Ground' is a moving story that depicts the human aspect of the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Through the eyes of Karim, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy living in captivity, Elizabeth Laird captures the endless suffering of the Palestinian people under the Israeli occupation. This book is a pressing reminder that Palestinians, both young and old, continue to long for freedom.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear the story told from the other side, the side that is rarely heard in the American media.

This is a beautifully written book that puts a human face on the suffering of the Palestinians under the illegal Israeli occupation of their land. Despite the terrible day to day circumstances that Palestinian children have to endure, nothing is able to suppress their irresistible desire to play.
If you want to know how much misery is caused by our billions of dollars per year that the USA sends to Israel, read this book.

First of all, this wonderful touching book, educated me about what is going on in Ramallah, Palestine. I felt the suffering, fear and oppression felt by all the occupied people, especially the children. How do you explain what is going on,and make them understand how unjust, illegal this occupation is by the Israelis? The story of the lads, clearing a very small area, so that they could play soccer, to have some fun, and do what young lads want to do. Elizabeth Laird has certainly captured me with her story, this should be rquired reading for everyone

I probably never would have read this book if it hadn't been the object of "book banning" in Canada. I did read it and I'm glad I did. I cannot understand why booksellers are boycotting it. There is no hate in this novel, just good writing. The novel helps the reader understand what it would be like to be a Palestinian boy under current circumstances. For the sake of humanity, we should all -- from time to time -- walk for a bit in someone else's shoes.

Elizibeth Laird has managed to convey a little of what it must be like to live under a long standing and unjust military occupation from the point of view of a teenager. We see the
occupied territores from the other side of the wall. The humanity of a people we have been lead to believe are just terrorists is brought home to us in a manner that can only touch your heart.