Winner of the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award for Children, the Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award and a Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book
Ever since she was a little girl, Amani has wanted to be a shepherd, just like her beloved grandfather, Sido. For generations her family has grazed sheep above the olive groves of the family homestead near Hebron, and she has been steeped in Sido’s stories, especially one about a secret meadow called the Firdoos, where the grass is lush and the sheep grow fat, and about the wolf that once showed him the path there.
But now Amani’s family home is being threatened by encroaching Jewish settlements. As she struggles to find increasingly rare grazing land for her starving sheep, her uncle and brother are tempted to take a more militant stance against the settlers. Then she accidentally meets Jonathan, an American boy visiting his settler father.
Away from the pressures of their families, the two young people discover Sido’s secret meadow, the domain of a lone wolf. And Amani learns that she must share the meadow, and even her sheep, with the wolf, if she is going to continue to use it.
Winner of the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award for Children, the Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award and a Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book
Ever since she was a little girl, Amani has wanted to be a shepherd, just like her beloved grandfather, Sido. For generations her family has grazed sheep above the olive groves of the family homestead near Hebron, and she has been steeped in Sido’s stories, especially one about a secret meadow called the Firdoos, where the grass is lush and the sheep grow fat, and about the wolf that once showed him the path there.
But now Amani’s family home is being threatened by encroaching Jewish settlements. As she struggles to find increasingly rare grazing land for her starving sheep, her uncle and brother are tempted to take a more militant stance against the settlers. Then she accidentally meets Jonathan, an American boy visiting his settler father.
Away from the pressures of their families, the two young people discover Sido’s secret meadow, the domain of a lone wolf. And Amani learns that she must share the meadow, and even her sheep, with the wolf, if she is going to continue to use it.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Aug 5, 2008 |
| Specifications | 224 pages | 5.1 in x 7 in |
| Keywords | Social Situations; Violence; Girls & Women; People & Places; Middle East; award winner; |
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Supporting Resources
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Excerpt |
| Written By |
ANNE LAUREL CARTER has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has published over twenty books, including The Shepherd's Granddaughter, winner of the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award and the Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award. It was also named a Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Anne's picture books include Rocky Waters, illustrated by Marianne Dumas, and Under A Prairie Sky, illustrated by Alan and Lea Daniel, winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award. |
| Written By |
|
ANNE LAUREL CARTER has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has published over twenty books, including The Shepherd's Granddaughter, winner of the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award and the Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award. It was also named a Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Anne's picture books include Rocky Waters, illustrated by Marianne Dumas, and Under A Prairie Sky, illustrated by Alan and Lea Daniel, winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award. |
| Audience | ages 14 and up / grades 9 and up |
| Reading Levels | Lexile HL630L |
Winner, CLA Book of the Year for Children Award, 2008
Winner, SSLI Best Book, 2009
Long-listed, OLA Red Maple Award, 2010
Commended, Amelia Bloomer Project, 2010
Commended, Jane Addams Children's Book Award (Honor Book), 2009
Commended, USBBY Outstanding International Books, 2008
Commended, Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2009, 2009
“...One of the very few YA novels attempting to tackle the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” —Jewish Book World
“The sympathies of the novel are consistently apparent, yet its strong polemical element never overwhelms its more general human interest elements. The story balances an economical style with a well paced presentation of Amani's growth in body and in perspective, her discovery of her gender and its implications for her aspirations, and her discovery of her skills, both as a shepherd and as a student.” —Canadian Literature
“...a hard - hitting, thought-provoking, troublesome book. The Shepherd's Granddaughter centres upon the issue of Israeli-Palestinian relations and the on-going conflict over land...Carter's work provides an opportunity for middle and high school readers to gain further information about their world...” —CM Magazine
“...sensitively portray[s] many viewpoints and issues in this thoughtful and simply written story...†...the beauty lies in the questioning that remains long after the story ends.†” —School Library Journal Blog
“Carter strikes a splendid balance in character development, portraying both parties' flaws while demonstrating Palestinian sympathies. Background and cultural information are seamlessly woven into the narrative, which is written simply and clearly in a skillful depiction of a sensitive situation.” —school Library Journal
“Information-packed but never didactic...The integration of Arabic and Hebrew words adds flavor to the text...Fluid writing and straightforward storytelling make this a pleasure to read, despite the sensitive subject matter. Thoughtful and engaging.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW