The Wall- which side are you on

By: William Sutcliffe
Location: FIC SUT
Genre: History- for now

If you loved The Boy in Stripped Pajama's, this is a book for you!

This is a story set in what is parallel to the West Bank. The Wall- why was it built and who for? We all think it is to keep the Palestinians out, but having talked to an Israeli and a Palestinian, maybe it is about peace. Maybe it is about protecting people, enemy's, from inflicting pain on each other, if you cant get on- build a wall. The incidents of death and terrorist acts has dropped since the wall- to me that means less mums are burying their children, less children are growing up without a dad. Yet as this books so eloquently tells us- the Wall also creates its own issues and barriers, fears and generational hatred festers and smolders. This books is about two kids that met from either side of the Wall and challenge its premise of  it being there.
The issues in Ireland and its consequential peace to me occurred in no small measure to kids saying enough- we have had enough- maybe the kids of the settled area's in Israel and behind the wall in the West Bank can do the same- enough!

Joshua lives with his mother and step-father in Amarias, an isolated town, where all the houses are brand new. Amarias is surrounded by a high wall, guarded by soldiers, which can only be crossed through a heavily fortified checkpoint. Joshua has been taught that the Wall is the only thing keeping his people safe from a brutal and unforgiving enemy.

One day, Joshua stumbles across a tunnel that leads underneath the Wall. The chance to catch a glimpse of life on the other side of The Wall is too tempting to resist. He's heard plenty of stories about the other side, but nothing has prepared him for what he finds . . .

Set in a tense reality closely mirroring Israel's West bank, this deeply affecting parable of a boy who undertakes a short journey to another world lingers long after completion.