This book is neither fiction nor history. It is the story of two children from Gaza, to be discovered through their eyes, their voices, their innocence and their experience. The aim is to touch the hearts of our children, who will one day take charge of our society, to help them build a more humane, peaceful and, above all, fairer world, because there can be no peace without justice.
Unlike most children's books, which use metaphor or symbolism to deal with a dramatic situation, we have chosen to deal with it factually and realistically, as Amal and Imad experience it. The events recounted have been meticulously chosen in close collaboration with people in and from Gaza, to reflect what they consider to be their priorities, and to ensure a narrative that is faithful to reality. In order to tell the story in a way that is readable and constructive for a child, the words, tone and drawings are marked by simplicity, gentleness and tenderness.
The book opens with a brief presentation of Palestine before 1948, as Amal and Imad imagined it on the basis of their grandparents' stories. The reader understands that this was not a 'land without a people for a people without a land', but rather a civil society well developed in terms of agriculture, commerce, healthcare, education and culture. Amal and Imad then recount the Nakba experienced by their grandparents in 1948, when they were forced to leave, like hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who became refugees in their own country or neighbouring countries, in order to create the State of Israel. Most of the book tells the story of the children's recent past in Gaza before 7 October 2023. We see a society with which the majority of the world's children can identify: family, school, playground, parties, cakes, mosque, church, theatre, shopping centre, and a strong friendship that binds them together. But we also see a much less shared reality: difficult living conditions, restrictions, controls, drones, shootings, prison, physical and food insecurity, war. A dark grey double-page spread marks the attack on 7 October and Amal and Imad's transition to the present. The children recount the current tragedy through their daily lives: multiple evacuations, bombings, camps, destruction, separation, injuries, illness, mourning and death. The story ends with the children's unshakeable hope for the future they see ahead.
By giving a voice to two children, one Muslim and one Christian from Gaza, who speak of tragedy but also the simple joys in daily life, we create a space to discuss the injustice affecting Palestine for over 75 years. It invites reflection on values, emotions, empathy, and solidarity. Told in their clear, child's words, Amal and Imad reveal joy, fear, anger, and sadness, helping readers name and manage emotions. They model resilience, showing how positivity can grow even amid loss.
Julie Franck holds a PhD in psychology and is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. She teaches and conducts research on cognitive processes related to language in children and adults at the Laboratory of Experimental Psycholinguistics and Speech Therapy. Since 2017, she has been developing various research, teaching and civic engagement programmes at the University in relation to Geneva's migrant population. She visited Gaza in 2018, and is the co-founder of the Geneva-based associations Yaffa and Alama.
Khloud Daoud holds a bachelor's degree in English language and literature with a specialisation in teaching methods from the Al-Quds Open University in Gaza. Before 7 October 2023, she taught English at the Riyadh Centre and in various schools, on a daily basis. After fleeing her home in Gaza City and taking shelter in various places, she returned to live in the bombed-out house where her grandfather died. This project represents her determination to give a voice to young Palestinians, and to highlight their resilience and hope for a better future.
Ahmed Alazbat is a social worker and graduate of the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza. He left Gaza in 2016, and currently lives and works in Switzerland. He has several years of experience of social work in Gaza within national and international organisations. During the 2008, 2011 and 2014 wars, his work involved training specialists in psychosocial work in war situations and providing psychological consultations to families affected by the war. In 2013, he founded the Sama Jafra centre, where art and culture are at the heart of psychosocial work. He is also the co-founder of the Yaffa association.
