Laird, Elizabeth, with Sonia Nimr. A little piece of ground.

LAIRD, Elizabeth, with Sonia Nimr. A little piece of ground. Haymarket, dist. by Consortium. 216p. c2003. 1-931859-388. $9.95. JS

Karim, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, lives under the constant watchful eye of the Israeli military. His town, Ramallah, is often subject to curfew, which means Karim spends a lot of time in his home with his family. He tries to maintain some sense of normalcy: be plays video games, does schoolwork, fights with his brother, and calls friends on his cell phone. He also dreams about what he would like to do with his life. In addition to wishing to become a famous soccer player, Karim would like to be the liberator of Palestine. When curfew is lifted, Karim always rushes right out to play soccer. He usually plays alone, kicking the ball at a wall. Then he meets Hopper, and together they discover a land that is perfect for their soccer practice. Karim, Hopper, and Joni meet there daily to play. When they stay out past curfew one day, Karim is forced to hide from the Israeli army. The soccer field where Karim spent such joyful afternoons is now his hiding ground.

Laird firmly places the reader in Ramallah right alongside Karim, opening his world to new eyes. Readers witness the restlessness, humiliation, anger, and peril that permeate every moment of Karim's life. Young readers will relate to the universal themes of growing up, despite Karim living his childhood in extraordinary circumstances. Well-written and compelling, this is an excellent addition to any collection and filled with potential for classroom discussions. Amanda MacGregor, St. Cloud, MN

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.