Bifocal by Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters

When I finished this book I could finally take a breath, and all I could say was, "Wow."





Books like this make me wish I was teaching Junior High English! This would be great to discuss with kids that age.

Some of my favorite parts of the book:

Thing I loved about this book is it gave a good look into what it must be like to be a muslim living in North America after 9/11.

p. 162 Then my father says, "Your grandparents left Afghanistan so that we would not be bothered by war, or chaos, or hatres, or suspicion, so we could live our lives without fear or torture or police brutality, or the kind of craziness that plages most of the people on this planet. Our parents worked hard, and we have worked hard, to give you and your sister a decent life, an ideal life. And both of you, each in your own way, have brought the world's craziness right into our house.

In the story there's an 'assault' of sorts that happens. It's an interesting peek into the thoughts that might go on in someone's mind when these kinds of things happen:

p. 230 Despite it all, I couldn't help but think what it would have been like for him to be in the house when the bombardment started. It would have bene pretty eerie to be sitting there int he dark while your house was assaulted. He wouldn't know who it was exactly, but he had to know it was students from his school. I wondered if his wife was with him or if he had kids or whatever. I didn't like him, but I could picture his face. I tried to block out that picture. I forced myself not to picture him, not to imagine his family.

This is the fourth book by Deborah Ellis that I've read. At the back of this book they have a great quote from her that sums up why I really love her books! Courage!!

p. 277 Courage interests me - when we have it, when we don't, and how we make the decision to be brave or cowardly. We have created a world where most children live in some fort of war, and I write about them to try to do honor ot their strength and courage. I have learned that there is no such thing as 'other people's children.' The world's children are a blessing to all of us. They are also our responsibility.

This makes me think about some of my own goals and about the choices I make. Do I have the courage to do what I ought? Books like this inspire me to do so!