Sisters of the War by Rania Abouzeid - OPTIONAL

Sisters of the War by Rania Abouzeid, 288 pages. NON-FICTION. Scholastic Focus, 2020. $19   

Language: G (0  swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (Bombs, war); Violence: PG (Severe bombing and killing of people during the war in Syria)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Two small girls, unrelated, lived in Syria during the civil war that started in 2011. The girls, Ruha and Hanin, live in different parts of Syria. They love their families, shopping, paying with friends and going to school. At first when the war starts their parents do not tell them much about it. The war ends up being quite devastating for them, their families and their country as they knew it.           

I expected the book to be about two girls, but found that although we learn about the girls, the book is mostly about war in Syria.  It explains the war, and the causes of it really well. The book is well written, the language flows smoothly and I gained a greater insight and understanding of the people in Syria, the conflict and the war. It will be a great book to use when studying the life and conflicts of the Middle East.

Ellen-Anita - LMS