What do you think?
Rate this book
Ida in the Middle
Ida, a Palestinian-American girl, eats a magic olive that takes her to the life she might have had in her parents’ village near Jerusalem. An important coming of age story that explores identity, place, voice, and belonging.
Every time violence erupts in the Middle East, Ida knows what’s coming next. Some of her classmates treat her like it’s all her fault—just for being Palestinian! In eighth grade, Ida is forced to move to a different school. But people still treat her like she’ll never fit in. Ida wishes she could disappear.
One day, dreading a final class project, Ida hunts for food. She discovers a jar of olives that came from a beloved aunt in her family’s village near Jerusalem. Ida eats one and finds herself there—as if her parents had never left Palestine! Things are different in this other reality—harder in many ways, but also strangely familiar and comforting. Now she has to make some tough choices. Which Ida would she rather be? How can she find her place?
Ida’s dilemma becomes more frightening as the day approaches when Israeli bulldozers are coming to demolish another home in her family’s village…
Every time violence erupts in the Middle East, Ida knows what’s coming next. Some of her classmates treat her like it’s all her fault—just for being Palestinian! In eighth grade, Ida is forced to move to a different school. But people still treat her like she’ll never fit in. Ida wishes she could disappear.
One day, dreading a final class project, Ida hunts for food. She discovers a jar of olives that came from a beloved aunt in her family’s village near Jerusalem. Ida eats one and finds herself there—as if her parents had never left Palestine! Things are different in this other reality—harder in many ways, but also strangely familiar and comforting. Now she has to make some tough choices. Which Ida would she rather be? How can she find her place?
Ida’s dilemma becomes more frightening as the day approaches when Israeli bulldozers are coming to demolish another home in her family’s village…
Audio CD
Published August 27, 2024
8 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
Nora Lester Murad
4 books23 followersNora Lester Murad moved to Jerusalem in 2004 with her Palestinian husband and three Palestinian-American daughters. She co-founded Palestine's first community foundation, Dalia Association, and Aid Watch Palestine, a community-driven aid accountability initiative. Nora has published in The Guardian, Aljazeera, Huffington Post, Open Democracy, and more. She speaks at international events around the world.
Rest in My Shade, co-authored with Danna Masad, will be released by Interlink in November 2018. An anthology of reflections by foreigners who have been transformed by Palestine is currently being shopped to agents. Nora is also finalizing two novels -- one is women's literary fiction and the other is aimed at upper middle grade.
Nora blogs at https://www.noralestermurad.com.
Rest in My Shade, co-authored with Danna Masad, will be released by Interlink in November 2018. An anthology of reflections by foreigners who have been transformed by Palestine is currently being shopped to agents. Nora is also finalizing two novels -- one is women's literary fiction and the other is aimed at upper middle grade.
Nora blogs at https://www.noralestermurad.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
September 30, 2022
Ideal for middle school readers (upper mg/lower ya), this magical realism book takes readers from middle school in American to a Palestinian village outside of Jerusalem through the consumption of some magical olives. Written by a Jewish author married to a Palestinian Muslim who raised their three daughters in Palestine, the book features a lot of Islam, but is Palestinian centered in its insight, critique, culture, and dreams. Over 224 pages, Ida starts to find where she fits in both in understanding her self within her family, her place in America, her passion in life, and what it means to be Palestinian. The story is important, and is told in a way that will encourage readers to learn more about the occupation. Nuances are shown in characters and groups, but the line that the occupation is oppressive is never compromised. I appreciate that the author writes from her own experiences and openly acknowledges that she is not trying to take away from Palestinian born and raised OWN voice stories, but she is an advocate, she has raised her children and lived in the West Bank, and her characters reflect a sense of intimate knowledge, love, and appreciation. Even with Ida having to decide to stay in America or Palestine, the two countries are not pitted against each other or seen as black or white, as to which is better or worse, the middle is where much of the story takes place, and appreciating your culture no matter how much others are trying to erase your existence, is always stressed.
SYNOPSIS:
Ida is the middle child of her Palestinian immigrant family and isn't artistic like her younger sister, a ballet dancer like her older sister, or a soccer player like her father. She wishes she was invisible. Especially when her classmates turn on her every time there are conflicts in the middle east. When it seems that everyone wants to diminish her heritage, she finds herself at a new school, unsure of where she fits in. With anti Palestinian attitudes and Islamophobic people, Ida just wants to go unnoticed, unfortunately middle school requires a passion project to be presented and Ida has no idea what her passions are, and how she will face the crowds.
One day when looking for a snack she finds a jar of olives stuffed in a cupboard- olives brought by a family friend from her now deceased aunt in Busala, one bite and she is magically transported to the familial village. It is an alternate reality of what life would be if her parents never came to America. Not only is she in a country she has never seen before, meeting family members she has never met before, but even her own parents and sisters are somehow different. She enjoys the warmth, the communal activities, the extended family. Her mom in hijab, the athan being heard, the men all going for jummah, but then they sit down for a meal and the same olives are served and Ida accidently takes a bite and is whisked back home.
Once home, she longs for so much of Palestinian life, but relishes in the convenience and ease of America as well. Her passion project still looms and she finds herself hoping to escape it by going back to Palestine. When she finds herself back near Jerusalem she ventures out with her Aunt, who isn't dead in this reality, and learns more about the occupation and oppression, and how the families interact with the various Israelis: some sympathetic to Palestinians, some actively working to help Palestinians, and some settlers- forcefully killing and bulldozing Palestinian homes.
When Israeli military troops enter their village, the families meet to discuss the best course of action, the families do not agree, there is no clear way to prepare, there is no guarantee of survival. Ida starts to find her voice, and when the soldiers enter, Ida finds herself rushing out to help a small boy. Guns, demolition, rocks, tear gas, fear, so much fear, what can one person do? What can one village do? What will Ida do?
WHY I LIKE IT:
The book is relatable and moving, not just for those with a tie or interest in Palestine. It is a coming of age story that shows a girl grappling with forces so much bigger than herself, while at the same time dealing with homework and friends and stereotypes. Ida has a lot to figure out and the book doesn't sugar coat a happy ending, it simply provides a moving story based on reality, through a character whose quirks and personality you find yourself rooting for.
I love the presence of Islam and the way it is apart of Ida and her surroundings, even though she makes it clear early on that her family is not religious. The Quran is mentioned, the athan, various salat, hijab, Hajj, Ayatul Kursi, Ramadan, Eid, wasting food as being haram. In Boston her friend knows she doesn't eat pork, she went to Sunday school to learn Arabic at the mosque when she was younger. It doesn't gush with Islam, but it is present, for example Ida's sister and her joke about a good Palestinian girl shouldn't have a boyfriend, it isn't tied to their religion. The story is a Palestinian one, and as someone who is not Palestinian, the images, the foods, the smells, the love all seemed to embrace everything I've ever heard Palestinian friends talk about, and it feels like a warm hug to read the effects being in Palestine has on Ida.
I love that the author is upfront about her perspective, and I love that she is putting this story out there. The writing is sufficient: I was invested in the story, and it was an easy read. I don't know that I'll remember it months from now for it's imagery or power, but I'm certain I'll remember the commentary about life under occupation and the struggle to not be erased by a world that doesn't seem to care about the settlers still taking Palestinian homes and their way of life away by force.
FLAGS:
Fear, crushes, death, injuries, loss, magic, bullying, racism, Islamophobia, guns, physical assault, threat of force, destruction.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Our school is majority Palestinian. Years ago when we read Where the Streets Had a Name, I learned so much about the students, their families, their own experience living under oppression, that I can't wait to present this book with the middle schoolers and take notes on their thoughts. I would not lead the discussion, I would let them, their voices will not be erased by me.
SYNOPSIS:
Ida is the middle child of her Palestinian immigrant family and isn't artistic like her younger sister, a ballet dancer like her older sister, or a soccer player like her father. She wishes she was invisible. Especially when her classmates turn on her every time there are conflicts in the middle east. When it seems that everyone wants to diminish her heritage, she finds herself at a new school, unsure of where she fits in. With anti Palestinian attitudes and Islamophobic people, Ida just wants to go unnoticed, unfortunately middle school requires a passion project to be presented and Ida has no idea what her passions are, and how she will face the crowds.
One day when looking for a snack she finds a jar of olives stuffed in a cupboard- olives brought by a family friend from her now deceased aunt in Busala, one bite and she is magically transported to the familial village. It is an alternate reality of what life would be if her parents never came to America. Not only is she in a country she has never seen before, meeting family members she has never met before, but even her own parents and sisters are somehow different. She enjoys the warmth, the communal activities, the extended family. Her mom in hijab, the athan being heard, the men all going for jummah, but then they sit down for a meal and the same olives are served and Ida accidently takes a bite and is whisked back home.
Once home, she longs for so much of Palestinian life, but relishes in the convenience and ease of America as well. Her passion project still looms and she finds herself hoping to escape it by going back to Palestine. When she finds herself back near Jerusalem she ventures out with her Aunt, who isn't dead in this reality, and learns more about the occupation and oppression, and how the families interact with the various Israelis: some sympathetic to Palestinians, some actively working to help Palestinians, and some settlers- forcefully killing and bulldozing Palestinian homes.
When Israeli military troops enter their village, the families meet to discuss the best course of action, the families do not agree, there is no clear way to prepare, there is no guarantee of survival. Ida starts to find her voice, and when the soldiers enter, Ida finds herself rushing out to help a small boy. Guns, demolition, rocks, tear gas, fear, so much fear, what can one person do? What can one village do? What will Ida do?
WHY I LIKE IT:
The book is relatable and moving, not just for those with a tie or interest in Palestine. It is a coming of age story that shows a girl grappling with forces so much bigger than herself, while at the same time dealing with homework and friends and stereotypes. Ida has a lot to figure out and the book doesn't sugar coat a happy ending, it simply provides a moving story based on reality, through a character whose quirks and personality you find yourself rooting for.
I love the presence of Islam and the way it is apart of Ida and her surroundings, even though she makes it clear early on that her family is not religious. The Quran is mentioned, the athan, various salat, hijab, Hajj, Ayatul Kursi, Ramadan, Eid, wasting food as being haram. In Boston her friend knows she doesn't eat pork, she went to Sunday school to learn Arabic at the mosque when she was younger. It doesn't gush with Islam, but it is present, for example Ida's sister and her joke about a good Palestinian girl shouldn't have a boyfriend, it isn't tied to their religion. The story is a Palestinian one, and as someone who is not Palestinian, the images, the foods, the smells, the love all seemed to embrace everything I've ever heard Palestinian friends talk about, and it feels like a warm hug to read the effects being in Palestine has on Ida.
I love that the author is upfront about her perspective, and I love that she is putting this story out there. The writing is sufficient: I was invested in the story, and it was an easy read. I don't know that I'll remember it months from now for it's imagery or power, but I'm certain I'll remember the commentary about life under occupation and the struggle to not be erased by a world that doesn't seem to care about the settlers still taking Palestinian homes and their way of life away by force.
FLAGS:
Fear, crushes, death, injuries, loss, magic, bullying, racism, Islamophobia, guns, physical assault, threat of force, destruction.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Our school is majority Palestinian. Years ago when we read Where the Streets Had a Name, I learned so much about the students, their families, their own experience living under oppression, that I can't wait to present this book with the middle schoolers and take notes on their thoughts. I would not lead the discussion, I would let them, their voices will not be erased by me.
January 31, 2023
A gorgeously written book about a young Palestinian American who finds her voice and identity.
Genre: Upper Middle Grade/Lower YA
-also some magical realism elements: olives cause time travel
Author:Nora Lester Murad
Publisher: Crocodile Books/ Interlink
This beautiful hardcover (the book truly is absolutely gorgeous and I just cant stop staring at it!) tells the story of Ida- a young 13 year old Palestinian American daughter of immigrants. Bullied out of her school due to being Palestinian, Ida struggles to fit in.
But one day, when she eats special olives, she is transported to a new type of multiverse where Ida’s family is still in Palestine.
And by going back and forth, Ida realizes who she wants to be and what her passion in life is.
This gorgeous book truly transported me to Palestine!! The rich descriptions helped me feel grounded in the setting, and I almost felt like I could taste the crackling olives, listen to the adhan of the Mosques, and walk the streets of Palestine. Tbh- as a Syrian myself, I found many parallels with life in Damascus to life in Jerusalem, and it made me fall in love with the book even more.
Juxtaposed with the beauty of the land and the liveliness of the family and community around Ida is the harsh reality of Israeli occupation. The author does not minimize it, she portrays it in the voice of a teenager quite honestly, and her emotional scenes showing Ida helping a young boy and trying to figure out how to save her village and heart-wrenching and emotional.
I also appreciated how nuanced the book was. The occupation is clearly presented as apartheid and wrong, but there is no antisemitism. The author mentions her Jewish background in the author’s note, the book states that there are Jews who support Palestinian rights and Ida sympathizes with Jews who immigrated to America to escape persecution.
I really liked how this book was written- the layers of searching for identity, holding onto your homeland, resisting occupation, and the encouragement for the reader to practice BDS and raise their voices for justice.
Definitely a must read and book I can see be adapted in curriculums for middle schools.
Genre: Upper Middle Grade/Lower YA
-also some magical realism elements: olives cause time travel
Author:Nora Lester Murad
Publisher: Crocodile Books/ Interlink
This beautiful hardcover (the book truly is absolutely gorgeous and I just cant stop staring at it!) tells the story of Ida- a young 13 year old Palestinian American daughter of immigrants. Bullied out of her school due to being Palestinian, Ida struggles to fit in.
But one day, when she eats special olives, she is transported to a new type of multiverse where Ida’s family is still in Palestine.
And by going back and forth, Ida realizes who she wants to be and what her passion in life is.
This gorgeous book truly transported me to Palestine!! The rich descriptions helped me feel grounded in the setting, and I almost felt like I could taste the crackling olives, listen to the adhan of the Mosques, and walk the streets of Palestine. Tbh- as a Syrian myself, I found many parallels with life in Damascus to life in Jerusalem, and it made me fall in love with the book even more.
Juxtaposed with the beauty of the land and the liveliness of the family and community around Ida is the harsh reality of Israeli occupation. The author does not minimize it, she portrays it in the voice of a teenager quite honestly, and her emotional scenes showing Ida helping a young boy and trying to figure out how to save her village and heart-wrenching and emotional.
I also appreciated how nuanced the book was. The occupation is clearly presented as apartheid and wrong, but there is no antisemitism. The author mentions her Jewish background in the author’s note, the book states that there are Jews who support Palestinian rights and Ida sympathizes with Jews who immigrated to America to escape persecution.
I really liked how this book was written- the layers of searching for identity, holding onto your homeland, resisting occupation, and the encouragement for the reader to practice BDS and raise their voices for justice.
Definitely a must read and book I can see be adapted in curriculums for middle schools.
June 3, 2023
(5/5) - loaned to me by history teacher
super sweet, funny, and realistic. incredibly relatable as Black Kenyan-American in the DMV area. it broke my heart and put it back together, while also making me grave Palestinian food.
i’m not really knowledgable about the occupation of Palestine, but i’m interested in learning more. would love to read more from this author!
fav quotes:
“It was strange for Mom to remind Ida to do her homework. She seemed to sense that Ida was no longer the perfect child she'd always seemed to be.”
“My controversial niece!" she whispered to Ida.”
“It matters because there used to be peace here and there can be again. Do you think our lives were always like this?" he asked, gesturing with his arms as if circling the whole village. "I need you to remember our homeland, and keep on remembering after I'm gone.”
"Teenagers!" Salwa said with an exaggerated tone of exasperation, breaking the tension in the room.
super sweet, funny, and realistic. incredibly relatable as Black Kenyan-American in the DMV area. it broke my heart and put it back together, while also making me grave Palestinian food.
i’m not really knowledgable about the occupation of Palestine, but i’m interested in learning more. would love to read more from this author!
fav quotes:
“It was strange for Mom to remind Ida to do her homework. She seemed to sense that Ida was no longer the perfect child she'd always seemed to be.”
“My controversial niece!" she whispered to Ida.”
“It matters because there used to be peace here and there can be again. Do you think our lives were always like this?" he asked, gesturing with his arms as if circling the whole village. "I need you to remember our homeland, and keep on remembering after I'm gone.”
"Teenagers!" Salwa said with an exaggerated tone of exasperation, breaking the tension in the room.
November 25, 2023
This is a beautiful introduction to Palestine. The magical realism was a great way to tell this story for kids - I highly recommend it!
November 13, 2022
I want to be Ida! I want to eat the magic olives and be transported to Palestine to see what life is like there and to experience what is really happening there.
I visited Palesine two times and have followed news from Palestine/Israel ever since. This book provides a great introduction to the ongoing struggle of the Palestinian people as they suffer under Israeli occupation, settler-colonialism, and ethnic cleansing.
In this tale of self-discovery, American-Palestinian teenage Ida receives a surprising gift just when she needs it - one that helps her fulfill a school assignment to speak on her passion. Ida discovers her passion after samplying the special olives given to the family by her aunt.
Readers will experience with Ida what being "other" means, and will be thrilled with how she resolves her quest for her passion.
I visited Palesine two times and have followed news from Palestine/Israel ever since. This book provides a great introduction to the ongoing struggle of the Palestinian people as they suffer under Israeli occupation, settler-colonialism, and ethnic cleansing.
In this tale of self-discovery, American-Palestinian teenage Ida receives a surprising gift just when she needs it - one that helps her fulfill a school assignment to speak on her passion. Ida discovers her passion after samplying the special olives given to the family by her aunt.
Readers will experience with Ida what being "other" means, and will be thrilled with how she resolves her quest for her passion.
December 24, 2022
‘Ida, stuck between two worlds is searching for her own identity. She’s both a Palestinian and an American and she’s neither. Bullied for and therefore ashamed of her Palestinian roots, Ida tries to assimilate but cannot because of her immigrant parents’ steadfast practice of their culture. Its only when Ida starts examining what shes passionate about for a school project that she delves into her own identity and where she fits.
The author has very bravely delved into the Palestinian cause. A very nuanced dialogue on the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The topic has been dealt with very sensitively and complex issues have been discussed very beautiful. Highly highly recommend it. Not only for teens but also adults. Excellent read.
The author has very bravely delved into the Palestinian cause. A very nuanced dialogue on the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The topic has been dealt with very sensitively and complex issues have been discussed very beautiful. Highly highly recommend it. Not only for teens but also adults. Excellent read.
November 13, 2022
Thank you Edelweiss for an advanced copy. This isn’t the fantasy I was expecting, but eating magical olives to take you to Palestine is unique. The main character Ida finds her roots and her passion. While
Not graphic, the Palestinian situation and descriptions will make the reader angry, for humanitarian reasons. This is a clean enough book I could use in the classroom to show the Palestinian side of the siege and occupation, but I felt the book was lacking in inspiration, writing style, and interest. The themes of strong women, human rights, bravery, family, and passion can all be discussed. Thank you for a happy ending.
Not graphic, the Palestinian situation and descriptions will make the reader angry, for humanitarian reasons. This is a clean enough book I could use in the classroom to show the Palestinian side of the siege and occupation, but I felt the book was lacking in inspiration, writing style, and interest. The themes of strong women, human rights, bravery, family, and passion can all be discussed. Thank you for a happy ending.
November 4, 2022
A much needed realistic fiction book on the little known stories of the Palestinian people and their past and present struggles. The book is written from the prism of an American young child and is very engaging and relatable.
I cried and laughed throughout the book, but mostly, I felt hopeful that young adults can start exercising a more thoughtful moral dilemma when thinking about war and peace in that region and develop empathy for the plight of Palestinians. There are different sides to each story and it's about time to start hearing more about the Palestinian one.
I cried and laughed throughout the book, but mostly, I felt hopeful that young adults can start exercising a more thoughtful moral dilemma when thinking about war and peace in that region and develop empathy for the plight of Palestinians. There are different sides to each story and it's about time to start hearing more about the Palestinian one.
March 13, 2025
Very sweet introduction to Palestine for middle grade or young adult readers with some magical realism. I thought sometimes Ida read a little too young for her age and the ending happened a bit too fast, but overall the book handled sensitive topics such as the ongoing occupation with care, opening room for discussion. Really short one and easy to breeze through.
May 17, 2025
10/10 recommend reading this with your middle school/late elementary or even high school age kiddo. So many great opportunities to discuss historical context of the Palestinian genocide happening now, occupation, apartheid , the lie of American (and Israeli) exceptionalism, propaganda, indigenous right of return and so much more!
August 8, 2023
We read this as a family for a multigenerational book club. This gives informative about Palestine in a way kids can understand. I am looking forward to our discussion.
July 21, 2024
This book would be amazing to use in my classroom as a read aloud or for book club. This story is so important and I know every middle schooler/teenager would be able to related to Ida in some way.
November 18, 2022
What is truly lovely about this book is how I think it will connect with Middle Schoolers- so many of whom find themselves somewhere in the middle. Wondering what life would be life if just a few big things were different. This is especially true of our main character Ida (and students like her), who finds herself being bullied and judged unfairly based on her ethnicity, and sometimes wishes life could be different.
While there is a magic realism to this story, with Ida eating a magic olive that allows her to really experience what life would be like if her family never left Palestine, the story itself is firmly rooted in things that kids can relate to. Imaging what could be, playing it out in their heads, realizing that nothing is every truly perfect, but that doesn't mean they aren't good.
Ida in the Middle is a great Middle Grade read and I can't wait to get it on the shelves in the library.
While there is a magic realism to this story, with Ida eating a magic olive that allows her to really experience what life would be like if her family never left Palestine, the story itself is firmly rooted in things that kids can relate to. Imaging what could be, playing it out in their heads, realizing that nothing is every truly perfect, but that doesn't mean they aren't good.
Ida in the Middle is a great Middle Grade read and I can't wait to get it on the shelves in the library.
January 28, 2023
Nora Lester Murad has written a gem of a book. You might call “Ida in the Middle” young adult literature, but it appeals to anyone from 12 to 102. The story, written from the perspective of middle child Ida, in a Palestinian-American family, offers plenty of real-life turmoil most teens experience in their search for identity while also seeking acceptance from peers. Having Palestinian immigrant parents, these quests become all the more complicated for Ida.
Murad manages to balance history of the Palestinian Nakba, (catastrophe); Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, demolition of Palestinian homes, encroachment of illegal settlements with Ida’s fair-mindedness and non-violent approach to the question of what can be done. Ida’s quest becomes the story’s very authentic backdrop -- a village in the West Bank under Israeli siege. But how does American East-coast Ida become immersed in her parents’ Palestinian village? Murad taps into magical realism, bringing not only Ida, but the reader on the eye-opening journey.
With careful attention to detail and authenticity, Murad creates a wholly engaging story that exudes a personal commitment to the love and joy of storytelling and of writing; and, perhaps as significantly, to the tragic hardships Palestinians endure under Israeli occupation. For the sake of clarity as well as interest, Murad has included a glossary of Arabic terminology.
Read this book. Give a copy of “Ida in the Middle” to your young adult son, daughter, niece, nephew, friend. And also to your 102-year old grandparent.
Murad manages to balance history of the Palestinian Nakba, (catastrophe); Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, demolition of Palestinian homes, encroachment of illegal settlements with Ida’s fair-mindedness and non-violent approach to the question of what can be done. Ida’s quest becomes the story’s very authentic backdrop -- a village in the West Bank under Israeli siege. But how does American East-coast Ida become immersed in her parents’ Palestinian village? Murad taps into magical realism, bringing not only Ida, but the reader on the eye-opening journey.
With careful attention to detail and authenticity, Murad creates a wholly engaging story that exudes a personal commitment to the love and joy of storytelling and of writing; and, perhaps as significantly, to the tragic hardships Palestinians endure under Israeli occupation. For the sake of clarity as well as interest, Murad has included a glossary of Arabic terminology.
Read this book. Give a copy of “Ida in the Middle” to your young adult son, daughter, niece, nephew, friend. And also to your 102-year old grandparent.
May 8, 2025
The book culminates with Ida declaring her passion, “to work for what’s fair — for Palestinians, for our planet, so it can be everybody’s home.” She takes pride in herself, that she has spoken the truth regardless of whether or not it was comfortable. But the “truth” was not the whole truth. And her desire that everyone has a home— that’s not the conclusion that the character actually arrived at on her journey of self actualization.
Author Nora Murad is a self-described activist using the platform of upper elementary fiction to present a one-sided perspective on the Israeli- Palestinian Arab struggle for the historic “home” of both people groups. (The Jewish claim is older, beginning with the deeded legal purchase that their common patriarch Abraham made 2000 years before Christ at Hebron, and recorded for legal posterity in Genesis 23. The Jews would have had the rights to inheritance as his other descendants were cast into the deserts beyond.) Heavy handed in the use of Jewish caricatures, Israelis are depicted as exorbitantly wealthy, presumably at the expense of poor Palestinians salvaging discarded Israeli luxuries like dogs feeding from the crumbs of their cruel masters. Yet if one actually visits East Jerusalem, luxury vehicles are more likely to be driven by Arabs than Jews. In the West Bank, merchants flash their Rolexes with vanity. There are poor areas but there are also many neighborhoods with large, elegant homes. The author goes so far as to imply that there are no “pastry shops, malls, books, or cinemas” available in Palestinian areas. This is categorically false. (In fact, the best donuts within a 10 mile radius of Jerusalem are in Ramallah.)
In the story, the Israeli Jew is given a false equivalency to the Israeli Defense Forces or with violent settler gangs. Consequently, the supposition is that it’s not these outliers but Israeli Jews as a whole “who will use all the brutal methods they can think of against [the Palestinian people].” This is simply not the way things are. And more dangerous still, it lays the foundation for the unspoken underlying sentiment that a dead Jew is one less problem to worry about, as some Palestinian youth confirm in a house meeting. This is horrific.
Aunt Malayka is the only character who articulates anything that resembles the complexity of the situation admitting “there are all kind of Israelis. Just like there are all kinds of Palestinians. Some of them hate us. Some of them don’t like us but think we should be treated fairly. There are even Israeli Jews who fight alongside us for our rights.”
Most third-culture kids struggle for most of their lives with themes of belonging. It is a shame that some kids make fun of Ida’s name and don’t say it right, and worse, that she has come to believe that others think being Palestinian is bad and not to be celebrated. It’s the character’s struggle and it’s a reality for many girls just like her. Author Nora Murad must have explained her own children’s ethnic background a million times as Ida in the Middle seamlessly weaves the explorations of Palestinian Muslim Arab norms and mindsets with an older elementary fantasy of a girl whose dreams come to life and she gets to experience living in a world where her home culture is normal: the West Bank territory in Israel. Ida realizes she feels a deep sense of belonging among Palestinians, as if she were made from the same stones in the street that Jesus and other prophets have walked on thousands of years before.” A great irony considering those stones were laid by Jews for a city in Roman-occupied Judea, and Jesus was himself Jewish.
Many Palestinians do feel the way these characters do- unwilling to adapt to the modern geopolitical reality. Ida’s grandfather Siddo “considered himself a farmer” even though his people had lost their farms when he was a child. Siddo will carry his parent’s grudge, it’s hardly his own, and he will teach his children and grandchildren to do the same. He remembers a world of abundant harvests where they felt safe and he will live forever lamenting this loss. (Nevermind that Ida also describes the parched desert soil with its willy nilly vegetation.) She complains that there are Israel settlers and soldiers everywhere, and it is not safe to go far from where people live, but fails to explain why Israeli settlements need protection. The parents lament their broken education when, during the 2nd intifada “we rose up against the occupation,” and the family was compelled to move to the States. The parents never say what Intifada means… gun attacks, stabbings, rockets, over 130 suicide bombers… “It’s the Palestinians story.” Indeed it is. “I need you to remember our homeland and keep on remembering after I’m gone,” says Siddo. What is he saying? Never stop fighting the Israeli land thieves. Never stop fighting… Keep the hate alive.
So they make a hero out of the “brave girl”who spray-painted “Free Palestine” on the walls of a random Israeli restaurant. Israeli checks on Red Crescent ambulances are blamed for the fatal delay that cost Ida’s aunt her life after a car accident, as if such vehicles haven’t been used for arms smuggling, and terrorist activities (like moving the kidnapped civilian hostages around in Gaza in 2024). Yes, the Palestinians have it rough. Yes, the justice system is unbalanced. Yes, global institutions like UNWRA have fanned the flames of rebellion that have only served to create more conflict and embittered both parties while the institutions have no skin in the game. But so long as the Palestinian approach is to resist and take revenge, and to hope for the annihilation of the Jewish state, there will not be peace. Ida in the Middle doesn’t do anything to advance reconciliation— it comes across as a story of a girl learning to take pride in continuing the legacy of resistance. There has got to be a better way forward.
Author Nora Murad is a self-described activist using the platform of upper elementary fiction to present a one-sided perspective on the Israeli- Palestinian Arab struggle for the historic “home” of both people groups. (The Jewish claim is older, beginning with the deeded legal purchase that their common patriarch Abraham made 2000 years before Christ at Hebron, and recorded for legal posterity in Genesis 23. The Jews would have had the rights to inheritance as his other descendants were cast into the deserts beyond.) Heavy handed in the use of Jewish caricatures, Israelis are depicted as exorbitantly wealthy, presumably at the expense of poor Palestinians salvaging discarded Israeli luxuries like dogs feeding from the crumbs of their cruel masters. Yet if one actually visits East Jerusalem, luxury vehicles are more likely to be driven by Arabs than Jews. In the West Bank, merchants flash their Rolexes with vanity. There are poor areas but there are also many neighborhoods with large, elegant homes. The author goes so far as to imply that there are no “pastry shops, malls, books, or cinemas” available in Palestinian areas. This is categorically false. (In fact, the best donuts within a 10 mile radius of Jerusalem are in Ramallah.)
In the story, the Israeli Jew is given a false equivalency to the Israeli Defense Forces or with violent settler gangs. Consequently, the supposition is that it’s not these outliers but Israeli Jews as a whole “who will use all the brutal methods they can think of against [the Palestinian people].” This is simply not the way things are. And more dangerous still, it lays the foundation for the unspoken underlying sentiment that a dead Jew is one less problem to worry about, as some Palestinian youth confirm in a house meeting. This is horrific.
Aunt Malayka is the only character who articulates anything that resembles the complexity of the situation admitting “there are all kind of Israelis. Just like there are all kinds of Palestinians. Some of them hate us. Some of them don’t like us but think we should be treated fairly. There are even Israeli Jews who fight alongside us for our rights.”
Most third-culture kids struggle for most of their lives with themes of belonging. It is a shame that some kids make fun of Ida’s name and don’t say it right, and worse, that she has come to believe that others think being Palestinian is bad and not to be celebrated. It’s the character’s struggle and it’s a reality for many girls just like her. Author Nora Murad must have explained her own children’s ethnic background a million times as Ida in the Middle seamlessly weaves the explorations of Palestinian Muslim Arab norms and mindsets with an older elementary fantasy of a girl whose dreams come to life and she gets to experience living in a world where her home culture is normal: the West Bank territory in Israel. Ida realizes she feels a deep sense of belonging among Palestinians, as if she were made from the same stones in the street that Jesus and other prophets have walked on thousands of years before.” A great irony considering those stones were laid by Jews for a city in Roman-occupied Judea, and Jesus was himself Jewish.
Many Palestinians do feel the way these characters do- unwilling to adapt to the modern geopolitical reality. Ida’s grandfather Siddo “considered himself a farmer” even though his people had lost their farms when he was a child. Siddo will carry his parent’s grudge, it’s hardly his own, and he will teach his children and grandchildren to do the same. He remembers a world of abundant harvests where they felt safe and he will live forever lamenting this loss. (Nevermind that Ida also describes the parched desert soil with its willy nilly vegetation.) She complains that there are Israel settlers and soldiers everywhere, and it is not safe to go far from where people live, but fails to explain why Israeli settlements need protection. The parents lament their broken education when, during the 2nd intifada “we rose up against the occupation,” and the family was compelled to move to the States. The parents never say what Intifada means… gun attacks, stabbings, rockets, over 130 suicide bombers… “It’s the Palestinians story.” Indeed it is. “I need you to remember our homeland and keep on remembering after I’m gone,” says Siddo. What is he saying? Never stop fighting the Israeli land thieves. Never stop fighting… Keep the hate alive.
So they make a hero out of the “brave girl”who spray-painted “Free Palestine” on the walls of a random Israeli restaurant. Israeli checks on Red Crescent ambulances are blamed for the fatal delay that cost Ida’s aunt her life after a car accident, as if such vehicles haven’t been used for arms smuggling, and terrorist activities (like moving the kidnapped civilian hostages around in Gaza in 2024). Yes, the Palestinians have it rough. Yes, the justice system is unbalanced. Yes, global institutions like UNWRA have fanned the flames of rebellion that have only served to create more conflict and embittered both parties while the institutions have no skin in the game. But so long as the Palestinian approach is to resist and take revenge, and to hope for the annihilation of the Jewish state, there will not be peace. Ida in the Middle doesn’t do anything to advance reconciliation— it comes across as a story of a girl learning to take pride in continuing the legacy of resistance. There has got to be a better way forward.
December 18, 2022
This is an excellent book for middle-school and older children to learn about the issues of justice in Palestine. I worked there as a human rights observer and observed much of what is in the story. There is also a touch of fantasy (with the "magic olives") which will make it even more enjoyable!
January 24, 2024
“How could anybody destroy a family’s home? Why does this happen, over and over again? Doesn’t anyone care?”
Ida has too many problems. The deadline of her final project presentation (which she has to give in front of the entire school!) is rapidly approaching, but she hasn’t touched it yet. Her classmates think that she’s a terrorist just because she’s Palestinian and Muslim. Her parents won’t tell her much about why they immigrated to the United States. And strangest of all: every time she bites into her late aunt’s green olives, she is transported between life in the US and an alternate reality in her parents’ village in Palestine. Life in Palestine comes with its own set of difficulties, but for the first time, she feels like she truly belongs somewhere, on this land where generations of her family have lived. Ida is content in this other life until she learns of plans of Israeli bulldozers coming to knock down yet another house in the village. With problems popping up wherever she goes, Ida wonders if she can face her fears and make a difference in both of her homes.
Geared towards middle schoolers, but perfect for readers of all ages—especially for anyone who is new to Palestinian history—Ida in the Middle blends historical fiction with a dash of magical realism that doesn’t take away from the gravity of the book’s themes. Ida is an easily lovable main character, and her initial struggles with fitting in at school, finding her passion, and anxiety with public speaking sets the scene for a promising coming-of-age story. Not only does she have to grapple with school and growing up, but she finds herself transported to Palestine via magical green olive, where she faces the realities of living under Israeli settler-colonialism. Murad draws from the last 80 years of Palestinian history and important current events as she describes Ida’s alternate reality: a friend’s house is about to be knocked down, another friend struggles to receive medical care, and she and her aunt are harassed at a checkpoint in West Jerusalem. Despite this brutal occupation, Palestine is where Ida finds her voice and discovers how much good can come of a single brave action. She takes her newfound knowledge of her family’s (and Palestine’s) history back to the States, where discussions with friends, family, and teachers cultivate her newly discovered passion: the Palestinian fight for liberation. Ida’s journey to find the bravery to speak up is an ode to how knowledge brings confidence and passion, how food keeps a culture alive and fans the flames of solidarity, and how oppression can never fully dismantle the strength of a united community. Ida in the Middle refuses to be a passive, demoralized story that quietly shuffles Palestine off into the history books; rather, the book is a defiant reverence of Palestine as a country that very much still exists. It is a story of hope: of Ida raising her voice for her people’s freedom, of you, the reader, following in her footsteps to fight for justice, for the right of Palestinians to live on their own land.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
Ida has too many problems. The deadline of her final project presentation (which she has to give in front of the entire school!) is rapidly approaching, but she hasn’t touched it yet. Her classmates think that she’s a terrorist just because she’s Palestinian and Muslim. Her parents won’t tell her much about why they immigrated to the United States. And strangest of all: every time she bites into her late aunt’s green olives, she is transported between life in the US and an alternate reality in her parents’ village in Palestine. Life in Palestine comes with its own set of difficulties, but for the first time, she feels like she truly belongs somewhere, on this land where generations of her family have lived. Ida is content in this other life until she learns of plans of Israeli bulldozers coming to knock down yet another house in the village. With problems popping up wherever she goes, Ida wonders if she can face her fears and make a difference in both of her homes.
Geared towards middle schoolers, but perfect for readers of all ages—especially for anyone who is new to Palestinian history—Ida in the Middle blends historical fiction with a dash of magical realism that doesn’t take away from the gravity of the book’s themes. Ida is an easily lovable main character, and her initial struggles with fitting in at school, finding her passion, and anxiety with public speaking sets the scene for a promising coming-of-age story. Not only does she have to grapple with school and growing up, but she finds herself transported to Palestine via magical green olive, where she faces the realities of living under Israeli settler-colonialism. Murad draws from the last 80 years of Palestinian history and important current events as she describes Ida’s alternate reality: a friend’s house is about to be knocked down, another friend struggles to receive medical care, and she and her aunt are harassed at a checkpoint in West Jerusalem. Despite this brutal occupation, Palestine is where Ida finds her voice and discovers how much good can come of a single brave action. She takes her newfound knowledge of her family’s (and Palestine’s) history back to the States, where discussions with friends, family, and teachers cultivate her newly discovered passion: the Palestinian fight for liberation. Ida’s journey to find the bravery to speak up is an ode to how knowledge brings confidence and passion, how food keeps a culture alive and fans the flames of solidarity, and how oppression can never fully dismantle the strength of a united community. Ida in the Middle refuses to be a passive, demoralized story that quietly shuffles Palestine off into the history books; rather, the book is a defiant reverence of Palestine as a country that very much still exists. It is a story of hope: of Ida raising her voice for her people’s freedom, of you, the reader, following in her footsteps to fight for justice, for the right of Palestinians to live on their own land.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
November 30, 2023
📖 4 ⭐️
This is a great middle-grade novel. The first 20-ish pages were hard for me to get through. The writing was a little fumbling but it picked up as soon as Ida had her first olive & was transported into a parallel reality where her parents didn’t leave Palestine & her whole family lives there & continues to fight for their homes, lives, and equity against Israeli settlers.
“Slowly, more and more of Busala’s land was taken over and made off-limits to us,” Siddo said. “Then the Israelis took the land with the excuse that it wasn’t being used. The village’s boundaries shrunk but our families grew & the closest lands had to be used for buildings to live in.”
Ida thought about how today nearly every piece of Busala’s land was crammed with buildings, and the surrounding fields were unplanted, unused, and unusable, patrolled by soldiers who protected the new Jewish neighborhoods—settlements—that had sprung up on the hilltops that belonged to the village.
“Be proud,” he said, tapping Ida on the shoulder. “Be proud to belong to a family of fellaheen, farmers. So many of our people were driven away in 1948, when Israel was established & again during the war in 1967. But not r stayed and will always stay on our land here in Palestine.”
(Mom telling Ida the story of Aunt Malayka’s death)
“The ambulance got stopped at two Israeli military checkpoints. Both times, the soldiers searched the ambulance completely, taking everything out, dismantling plastic panels on the inside, opening up the upholstery, interrogating the driver and the medic…It took four hours to get to Malayka. She was still alive, they told us, but she didn’t make it back to Ramallah. She lost too much blood.”
(Ida talking to her friend Caroline about their school called Andrew Jackson)
“Isn’t it just a name?” Ida asked.
“Mario says you can know a lot about a place from what they name their streets and schools. You can know what they’re proud of and how they want other people to see them.”
“I know what you mean,” Ida responded. “In Jerusalem, the Israelis are changing the names of streets from Arabic to Hebrew. It’s not enough that they take control of the actual street. They have to erase all traces of Palestinians too.”
“I don’t get it.” Ida admitted. “You mean the soldiers come to our village and arrest us and demolish our homes and then we come here and pretend that we don’t mind?”
…
“They have stuff over here on the Jewish side that we want—pastry, malls, books, cinemas. Every person wants nice things. We want to enjoy our lives, right? And don’t we deserve nice things as much as they do?”
Ida nodded. Aunt Malayka was very convincing.
“I come here when I want something we don’t have on the Arab side—like the best orthopedic specialist in town. Just because I go to an Israeli doctor and eat Israeli pastries doesn’t mean I give them permission to shoot me, does it?”
H
This is a great middle-grade novel. The first 20-ish pages were hard for me to get through. The writing was a little fumbling but it picked up as soon as Ida had her first olive & was transported into a parallel reality where her parents didn’t leave Palestine & her whole family lives there & continues to fight for their homes, lives, and equity against Israeli settlers.
“Slowly, more and more of Busala’s land was taken over and made off-limits to us,” Siddo said. “Then the Israelis took the land with the excuse that it wasn’t being used. The village’s boundaries shrunk but our families grew & the closest lands had to be used for buildings to live in.”
Ida thought about how today nearly every piece of Busala’s land was crammed with buildings, and the surrounding fields were unplanted, unused, and unusable, patrolled by soldiers who protected the new Jewish neighborhoods—settlements—that had sprung up on the hilltops that belonged to the village.
“Be proud,” he said, tapping Ida on the shoulder. “Be proud to belong to a family of fellaheen, farmers. So many of our people were driven away in 1948, when Israel was established & again during the war in 1967. But not r stayed and will always stay on our land here in Palestine.”
(Mom telling Ida the story of Aunt Malayka’s death)
“The ambulance got stopped at two Israeli military checkpoints. Both times, the soldiers searched the ambulance completely, taking everything out, dismantling plastic panels on the inside, opening up the upholstery, interrogating the driver and the medic…It took four hours to get to Malayka. She was still alive, they told us, but she didn’t make it back to Ramallah. She lost too much blood.”
(Ida talking to her friend Caroline about their school called Andrew Jackson)
“Isn’t it just a name?” Ida asked.
“Mario says you can know a lot about a place from what they name their streets and schools. You can know what they’re proud of and how they want other people to see them.”
“I know what you mean,” Ida responded. “In Jerusalem, the Israelis are changing the names of streets from Arabic to Hebrew. It’s not enough that they take control of the actual street. They have to erase all traces of Palestinians too.”
“I don’t get it.” Ida admitted. “You mean the soldiers come to our village and arrest us and demolish our homes and then we come here and pretend that we don’t mind?”
…
“They have stuff over here on the Jewish side that we want—pastry, malls, books, cinemas. Every person wants nice things. We want to enjoy our lives, right? And don’t we deserve nice things as much as they do?”
Ida nodded. Aunt Malayka was very convincing.
“I come here when I want something we don’t have on the Arab side—like the best orthopedic specialist in town. Just because I go to an Israeli doctor and eat Israeli pastries doesn’t mean I give them permission to shoot me, does it?”
H
August 18, 2024
If I am honest, “Ida in the Middle” is not the kind of book I would typically read. It seems to have been written for a much younger audience than myself. I bought this book at an event where the profits from the book sale would go to benefit Palestinian families, and I am glad I did. I, like many, have witnessed the atrocities taking place in Palestine in the last several months via posts online. However, reading this fictional story about the very real conflict from the perspective of a character who is living in it made everything feel much more personal. This book does a fantastic job of expressing the intensity of the situation through a child narrator’s eyes. The pain, the raw emotions, the disbelief is all tangible. This horror is a reality that children and families have been living in for nearly a century, and the author captures it beautifully. My heart aches for all those in Palestine who are suffering, and I hope we find peace soon.
January 9, 2024
This book was a beautiful and warm story built on a foundation of love for one's people and homeland. It was filled with the duality of life that is happy and sad, but at the end of the day speaks of hope. I've never believed in hope before, but over the last three months the people of Palestine have taught me that it is what we must hold onto until the very end. I would recommend this to not only any middle grade reader, but everyone who wants to learn more about the struggles of the Palestinian people and the colonial violence of Israel that's funded by American tax dollars.
January 9, 2024
I picked up this book not knowing what to expect. What I ended up with was a rich and beautiful telling of the experiences of a young Palestinian-American girl who is trying to find her voice in a world that misunderstands and silences her. She is the hero that so many students need to hear about. Ida in the Middle beautifully weaves history, culture, and hope together for an empowering story of justice.
January 24, 2024
3.75
This book is so good, just very YA. The narrator is an 8th grader so the language, pace, and thought processes make total sense. That young of a perspective is just hard for me to really get drawn into. The story was so endearing and the imagery / descriptions of Palestine were incredible. Truly a beautiful story that mixes the pain of stolen land and the hope for Palestine’s future. Would for sure recommend.
This book is so good, just very YA. The narrator is an 8th grader so the language, pace, and thought processes make total sense. That young of a perspective is just hard for me to really get drawn into. The story was so endearing and the imagery / descriptions of Palestine were incredible. Truly a beautiful story that mixes the pain of stolen land and the hope for Palestine’s future. Would for sure recommend.
November 19, 2024
I've been reading a lot of tween/teen books that take place in Palestine, so I thought that this would be an interesting one to try. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of this book. It was somewhat boring, and while it did go into detail about her feelings on the Israel/Palestine conflict, it didn't really tell us that much about the conflict itself. I found myself wishing I had just read another book actually set in Palestine, rather than one taking place half in America.
December 22, 2024
Wonderful middle grades novel about a Palestinian American girl who time-travels back to Palestine when she eats a magic olive altering her perspective of family, place, and history when she returns to her "regular" life. The author captures the challenging realities facing Palestinians under Israeli occupation is a way that would be accessible to middle grade (5th-8th grade readers). Would be a good book for talking about the current crisis/genocide.
January 25, 2023
How many books for older children have a Palestinian American main character as engaging as Ida? Not since Amani in "The Shepherd's Granddaughter" by Anne Laurel Carter (2010) or Liyana in "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye (1997). We need diverse books and MORE of them. They are good food for thought.
March 2, 2023
I am a huge fan of YA literature. This is a gem of a book about a Palestinian American girl and her journey to find herself and her people, and learn to love them both, even through the struggles and pain.
June 6, 2024
Read it in one afternoon and hoping to teach to a class of rising 9th graders over the summer-- really powerful, thoughtful use of magical realism to introduce an important real-world issue to middle grade readers.
Loved it, both readable and thought-provoking.
Loved it, both readable and thought-provoking.
November 26, 2024
Ida’s tale is magical and eye-opening and may be the most important story we share with our children today. Palestinian experiences have been erased for the last 76 years. If you cannot afford any other act of resistance (and even if you can!), buy this book and share it with a child.
July 3, 2025
I found parts of it very forced and not so authentic but I think part of that is because it is written for middle schoolers. The magical realism elements were a creative way to convey and contrast the different experiences of Palestinian Americans vs Palenstinian residents.
October 16, 2025
This is a book that would indeed be great for middle grade readers, its intended audience. Even as an adult I found it good, an introduction to understanding what it is like for some Palestinian families through the eyes of a child.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews