I have loved war stories since I was a young teenager
I wonder if it is because I was a military child
Brought up in Cyprus and Germany
I wanted to read about and try to understand war
And through the books I read I began to learn
That there were innocents on both sides
There were always people on both sides
Who became innocent victims
And many of these, on both sides, were children
Not so very different from me

As I have grown to a woman, a teacher and a mother
The depth and breadth of stories about war
And about refugees has grown
We can all read stories from wars and conflicts
Around the globe
We can all take a walk in someone else’s shoes
And try to understand what life must be like for them
We read for empathy and understanding
To learn and grow and become better humans
Building a better future
Where everyone is safe and valued and welcome

Elizabeth Laird is an incredible historical fiction writer
She takes our young people on journeys
Around the world and back in time
To experience what life might have been like
In different parts of the world
During times of war and conflict
During civil and political unrest

Ahead of Refugee Week 2022
Esther, William and I have been reading
Oranges In No Man’s Land

This is the story of Ayesha
A ten year old girl living in Beirut, Lebanon
During the civil war
Her mother is killed in a rocket attack
She leaves with her Grandma and brothers
To seek a safe place to hide

Seeing the war through the eyes of child
We learn not about the reason for conflict
But the consequences of it

We follow Ayesha’s family
To a bombed out flat
Where they are welcomed
By other refugee families
They are given a corner to make their own
The best they can

Every day is about keeping safe
Finding food
Avoiding checkpoints
And hoping for supplies from the refugee truck

Life is busy in the flat
People look out for one another
They share what little they have
The people build a community
They are strong for each other
And support one another

People help to care for Ayesha’s young brothers
And Ayesha makes friends with Samar, a deaf girl
The twins and I adored this friendship blossoming

Things take a turn for Ayesha
When her Granny gets sick
And the medication that she needs
Has run out
Their family doctor
Is on the other side of the city
To get there
Ayesha would have to be incredibly brave
She would have to pass the checkpoints
Step over the invisible line
And cross No Man’s Land

With no guarantees that she will find the doctor
Ayesha sets off
Her grit, courage and determination
Left my children filled with awe and respect for Ayesha

As the story unfolds we see that during the darkest of times
People live with love and compassion
People live with courage and hope
With all the strength they can muster
Oranges In No Man’s Land
Is a story of the strength of the human spirit

Elizabeth Laird offers young readers a window
To what life is like for children
Just like them
Living in a war zone

This short story is perfect to read this refugee week
To begin discussions with children about
The causes and consequences of war
What it means to be a refugee
How we can help children like Ayesha and their families

Oranges In No Man’s Land
Has led the children and I
To wanting to learn more
About Lebanon and life in the middle east

We found some information on Elizabeth Laird’s website
To help us learn where Lebanon is and what the country is like
We were also able to learn from the author
More about the war in Lebanon in the 1970s
And her own experiences of living in Beirut
After the war

Elizabeth Laird pours her heart and soul
Mixed with the experiences she has lived
Into her writing

Her storytelling is rich and hooks children in
Making them want to read more
Learn more, know more

Her writing has the same effect on me too
I was a latecomer to the writing of Elizabeth Laird
But now the twins and I want to read everything that she has ever written

So that we can learn from her stories
About the causes and consequences of war
So we can share her brilliant and beautiful stories with others
So they too can read about the courage and resilience
Of people and especially children forced to flee their homes
And search for somewhere new to be
Somewhere safe
Stories of family, friendship, love and loss
Of community, identity and belonging
Of the strength of the human spirit

You can learn more about Elizabeth Laird
And some of her many books
By following the blog tour