The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ichmad Hamid struggles with the knowledge that he can do nothing to save his Palestinian friends and family. Ruled by the Israeli military government, the entire village operates in fear of losing homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other. On Ichmad's twelfth birthday, that fear becomes a reality. With his father imprisoned, his family's home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to the dangers of war, Ichmad begins the endless struggle to use his intellect to save his poor and dying family and reclaim a love for others that was lost when the bombs first hit."The Almond Tree" capitalizes on the reader's desire to be picked up and dropped off in another part of the world. It tackles issues that many Americans only hear about on World News or read about at The Huffington Post, such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the scholasticide that is being imposed upon the Palestinians in Gaza and the current Gaza blockade. But even more, it offers hope.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wonderful novel! Filled with heartache and hope, trials and tribulation, and the struggle of a son Ichmad and his family. A son filled with guilt over his fathers' arrest, a father determined that his son will create a better life through education. The heartache endured but Ichmad and his father never wavered on their shared dream, that Icmad make something of himself, even if that meant leaving his struggling family for a period of time. In a country torn by war after war, this is about the human sprit, of never giving up. An exceptional novel by a very gifted writer. This story will make you keep reading and touch your heart.



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