Karim Aboudi would live and breathe soccer twenty-four hours a day if he could. But there’s the little matter of school, and the much bigger matter of curfews, which sometimes force him, his family, and the other Palestinian residents of Ramallah to stay in their houses for days on end. It’s also hard to find a good place to play. Hopper, who lives in a nearby refugee camp, shares Karim’s passion for soccer. With the help of some friends, the two boys clear a rock-strewn area on the outskirts of the camp and create a soccer field. But their joy at having a place to play is short-lived after another curfew is declared and their field is occupied by a small group of Israeli tanks and soldiers. Elizabeth Laird’s tense, forthright novel is woven with memorable moments in which the frustration, fear, and humiliation felt by Karim, his family, and friends are palpable. The impact on older teens like Karim’s brother is a growing sense of anger, while many adults must combat hopelessness. For a child like Karim, there is constant awareness of uncertainty, and a growing understanding of how hard it can be to not give in to feelings of despair in a riveting story that offers U.S. readers a glimpse behind the headlines. (Ages 10–14)

Karim Aboudi lives with his family in Ramallah. He is a normal twelve year-old boy in most ways: he is passionate about soccer, cares little about school, fights often with his brother, and disobeys his parents. The difference between Karim and other children is that Karim’s life is constantly threat ened by the Israeli occupation of his city. Elizabeth Laird relates Karim’s story so vividly that readers feel the shock of bombs dropping on his school and breathe in the dust as it covers his face. After reading Karim’s story, the Israeli-Palestinian War in Ramallah will be unmistakably real. 2007 USBBY Outstanding International Books List, 2006 Middle East Outreach Council Youth Literature Award, 2004 Hampshire Award (Great Britain). lmp

Originally published by Macmillan Children’s Books Great Britain, in 2003.

A Little Piece Of Ground will help young readers understand more about one of the worst conflicts afflicting our world today.

Written by Elizabeth Laird, one of Great Britain’s best-known young adult authors, A Little Piece Of Ground explores the human cost of the occupation of Palestinian lands through the eyes of a young boy.

Twelve-year-old Karim Aboudi and his family are trapped in their Ramallah home by a strict curfew. In response to a Palestinian suicide bombing, the Israeli military subjects the West Bank town to a virtual siege. Meanwhile, Karim, trapped at home with his teenage brother and fearful parents, longs to play football with his friends. When the curfew ends, he and his friend discover an unused patch of ground that’s the perfect site for a football pitch. Nearby, an old car hidden intact under bulldozed building makes a brilliant den. But in this city there’s constant danger, even for schoolboys. And when Israeli soldiers find Karim outside during the next curfew, it seems impossible that he will survive.

This powerful book fills a substantial gap in existing young adult literature on the Middle East. With 23,000 copies already sold in the United Kingdom and Canada, this book is sure to find a wide audience among young adult readers in the United States.