Publisher's Weekly Review
After unknowingly eating a magic olive, Palestinian American eighth grader Ida is whisked away to an alternate reality, in which her family never left Palestine, in this expansive novel from Murad (I Found Myself in Palestine, for adults). Ida has just transferred into a new school to escape the xenophobic bullying at her previous one, but she worries that she'll never truly circumvent torment when she finds "T-E-R-R-O-R-I-S-T" graffitied on her desk. When Ida eats from a jar of olives gifted to her mother by Ida's aunt, and she's magically transported to her family's ancestral village of Busala, she finds that by consuming the olives, she can move between the parallel worlds. The two realities bear striking similarities and differences: while her mother is still as doting as ever in Palestine, Ida is shocked that her sisters' passion for art and dance remains unexplored, unlike back home in Massachusetts. As these two separate lives unfurl, Ida feels she must choose between them. Murad persuasively crafts an enlightening tale via introspective, authentic-feeling prose, and a protagonist whose bravery in the face of her fears instills hope and warmth. Ages 12--16. (Nov.)
Booklist Review
Palestinian American eighth-grader Ida lives with her family in Oldbridge, MA, where she is preoccupied with avoiding the Islamophobic bullying that forced her to change schools recently. Home alone one afternoon, she eats an olive from a jar, a gift from her aunt in Palestine, and finds herself transported to Busala, a small city near Jerusalem. In this alternate reality, Ida experiences the ways that her life and her family would have been different if her parents had stayed in Palestine. In Busala, Ida finally fits in. She also learns about its history and constantly fears that her home will be bulldozed by the Israelis. Ultimately, Ida is inspired to speak up by her Aunt Malayka, a Palestinian journalist. While the transitions between Ida's two realities are not always smooth, the details of her daily life will keep readers immersed. Jewish American author Murad writes with sensitivity from personal experience--she and her Palestinian husband raised their children in the West Bank. Arabic words are italicized in the text and a glossary is included.
