The Lemon Tree

Starred review from August 15, 2020
The true story of a friendship between an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian Arab that transcends political tensions and violence. It is 1967. Three Palestinian men--Bashir Khairi and his cousins Yasser and Ghiath--are on a journey from Ramallah to see their childhood homes in al-Ramla. Yasser is turned away; Ghiath's is now a school. Bashir knows whether he may enter his old home depends on who answers the door. Dalia Eshkenazi, who has wondered "why would anyone voluntarily leave such a beautiful house," welcomes them despite misgivings, "sens[ing] a vulnerability in these young men [that makes her feel] safe." Dalia and her family, Holocaust survivors, had moved from Bulgaria to Palestine when she was just a baby. Welcoming the three men into her home opens the door to a connection, a bond between the Khairis and Eshkenazis, one that could represent hope and peace. The story unfolds in chapters that alternate between Dalia and Bashir along with chapters focusing on the histories of the land and of each family. In this young readers' adaptation of his 2006 book for adults of the same name, Tolan seamlessly weaves in the modern history of Palestine/Israel--including dates, roles played by leaders, and details from both Bashir's and Dalia's experiences. The writing is rich, especially when describing the house--it and its lemon tree form the center of this moving story. Captivating and complicated. (maps, author's note, sources) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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September 1, 2020
Grades 7-10 This young readers' adaptation of the 2006 original details the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of two families who both lay claim to one small stone house in Ramela and the lemon tree in its garden. Built in 1936, the house was abandoned by the Arab Khairi family, who was forced to flee in 1948, despite the land being promised to Arabs by the UN Partition. Bulgarian Jewish refugees, the Eshkenazis, moved into the house that same year. Recounted through the eyes of Bashir Khairi and Dalia Eshkenazi (who became acquainted as young adults and maintained a dialogue for many years), Tolan presents both perspectives regarding the land claim and is persuasive in detailing the wrongs perpetrated against Palestinian families who were expelled from their homes, refused basic human rights, and denied the right to return to their homeland. Tolan appends this edition with an afterword detailing the pair's recent lack of communication, surely a metaphor for the larger stalemate in this area. With generous back matter, this offers an enlightening look at a complicated problem.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2020

Gr 6 Up-In this young readers' adaptation of the 2007 book, Tolan details the true story of the unexpected friendship between Bashir Khairi, a Palestinian man of Arab ancestry, and Dalia Eshkenazi Landau, an Israeli woman of Jewish descent. These two individuals found they shared a connection. Their families lived in the same stone house at different time periods. Nineteen years before Landau's family moved in, Khairi's family lived in the house. During the formation of Israel in 1948, six-year-old Khairi and his family were forced to flee their hometown. Landau and her family relocated from Europe to Israel after World War II. In 1967, soon after the Six-Day War, Khairi and Landau met as young adults. For a time, they maintained a tenuous friendship and an openness to conversation. Tolan deftly explores both sides of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He connects news stories to real people and describes the mental, emotional, and physical impact of violence, occupation, and forced relocation. Although the text would have benefitted from a time line and a little more explanation about Zionism, the compelling narrative provides readers with insight into an impossible situation. Front matter includes territorial maps and information about Tolan's research methods; back matter features an annotated list of books, articles, and films on the topic, as well as an extensive list of sources. VERDICT Tolan makes an incredibly complicated topic comprehensible, creating empathy and understanding for people on both sides of the conflict.-Sarah Reid, Four County Lib. Syst., NY

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Starred review from March 27, 2006
The title of this moving, well-crafted book refers to a tree in the backyard of a home in Ramla, Israel. The home is currently owned by Dalia, a Jewish woman whose family of Holocaust survivors emigrated from Bulgaria. But before Israel gained its independence in 1948, the house was owned by the Palestinian family of Bashir, who meets Dalia when he returns to see his family home after the Six-Day War of 1967. Journalist Tolan (Me & Hank
) traces the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the parallel personal histories of Dalia and Bashir and their families—all refugees seeking a home. As Tolan takes the story forward, Dalia struggles with her Israeli identity, and Bashir struggles with decades in Israeli prisons for suspected terrorist activities. Those looking for even a symbolic magical solution to that conflict won't find it here: the lemon tree dies in 1998, just as the Israeli-Palestinian peace process stagnates. But as they follow Dalia and Bashir's difficult friendship, readers will experience one of the world's most stubborn conflicts firsthand. 2 maps.