Tolan, Sandy. The lemon tree: an Arab, a Jew, and the heart of the Middle East.

TOLAN, Sandy. The lemon tree: an Arab, a Jew, and the heart of the Middle East. Read by the author. 9 cds. 11 hours. HighBridge. 2006. 1-56511-988-6. $36.95. Cardboard; content, author notes. SA*

In 1936 Ahmed Khairi planted a lemon tree in the garden of his new home in the Palestine town of Ramla. Because it took seven years for the lemon tree to mature, the planting became an act of faith and patience. Twelve years later, when Ahmed's son Bashir was only six, his family was evicted from their home by Israeli soldiers seizing Arab lands for Jewish immigrants fleeing the Holocaust in Europe. The family of Dalia Eshkenazi, Bulgarian Jews, took possession of the beautiful home with its lovely garden and lemon tree. In 1967 after the borders opened following the Six Day War, Bashir returned to Ramla to visit his childhood home, meeting Dalia who opened the door to him. Thus began a conversation of more than 40 years, as Arab and Jew learned to discuss the complexities of the problem that still embroils the Middle East today.

Tolan presents both sides of the Arab's "right to return" and the Jew's search for a secure homeland in Israel with compassion and understanding. She reads with sensitivity and with a thorough knowledge of the myriad names, places and events described. Susan Allison, Libn. (retired), Lewiston, ME

S--Recommend for senior high school students.

A--Recommend for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.