Tasting the Sky

Barakat, I. (2007). Tasting the sky: A palestinian childhood. Harrisonburg, Virginia: RR Donnelley & Sons Company.

Tasting the sky is a true story written by Ibtisam Barakat. She was a little girl growing up during the Six Day War between Palestine and Israel. Though it is 175 pages, she writes an incredible story of her experiences as a child facing war. The reader watches Ibtisam grow through the entire novel and is able to see the ways in which she copes with such a frightening environment to be a child in. From a beloved donkey named Suma to the letter Alef, she learns how to survive and endure despite hardship and trial. The beautiful part of the book is the ability for the reader to understand that in times of war, people are still people, and children are still children.
I think this book would be excellent for an 8-9 grade student. The Middle East is an area that is often talked about in the news and it is important for students to realize that the children growing up in those areas are similar to them. It would provide excellent themes to discuss as far as how do different cultures cope and how do we seek to understand both sides of an issue. I loved this book and felt that it would be incredibly helpful in a classroom to cultivate real learning about a different culture.

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