MUHAMMAD NAJEM, WAR REPORTER

A boy coming-of-age in war-torn Syria tells the story of his family’s struggle and survival as they are attacked from within and without.

As a child, Muhammad always felt safe in his father’s carpentry shop in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus. That is, until Assad’s soldiers arrived. Protests against Syria’s authoritarian regime started in March 2011, when he was 8, and Muhammad grew up fast. By the time he was 13, he had lost his beloved father, a man who helped people and listened to their stories; his home; and his pet parrot, all to Syrian government aggression. Muhammad got an idea to help keep him going: He would interview other children and show the world what was happening. Maybe then, help would come. Aided by his photojournalist brother and English teacher sister, he braved dangers, embraced his fears, and reported over social media to a global audience. This brought him into contact with CNN reporter and co-author Neus. Mohammad’s story is one of a normal family—with playful teasing between siblings, people falling in love and marrying, new babies arriving, and recollections of favorite foods—set against a backdrop of scarcity and grief. Expressive full-color illustrations capture heartbreaking moments of loss as well as the warmth of extended family. Readers will find this a valuable window into the struggle, resistance, and humanity of the Syrian people during this ongoing crisis.

Informative, gripping, and humanizing.