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Crescent Star
Avi Greenbaum is Jewish and lives in West Jerusalem. Moussa Shakir is Palestinian and lives in East Jerusalem. Both are 15 years old, live without their fathers, adore their older brothers, and belong to the same soccer club. Avi commemorates the Holocaust and celebrates Israeli independence, while Moussa mourns on Nakba Day, marking the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948. Their lives are parallel lines: they have everything in common and nothing at all. Each is oblivious to the others existence.
As Avi and Moussa go about their daily routines in the spring of 2006, they face reminders of the conflict that has dogged the region for the past three generations the security wall, suicide bombings, police operations, and the looming shadow of war. While navigating this legacy of suspicion and violence, they must decide what their own roles in the stalemate will be.
As Avi and Moussa go about their daily routines in the spring of 2006, they face reminders of the conflict that has dogged the region for the past three generations the security wall, suicide bombings, police operations, and the looming shadow of war. While navigating this legacy of suspicion and violence, they must decide what their own roles in the stalemate will be.
266 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
17 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Maes
15 books7 followersWhen younger, I thought I was going to be 1) an archeologist 2) a zookeeper, 3) an alchemist and 4) a time traveller. I wound up delivering on all these ambitions (sort of). While I never dug up any ancient cities, I did study Greek and Latin. And while alchemy has always eluded me, I did become a high-school teacher, a job that involves daily transformations. No zoo ever wanted to hire me, but I have three children and a wife: to judge by the noise level in our house, you would swear I lived in a zoo at times (one without cages of course). Finally, I haven't yet managed the trick of time travel but at least I get to write about it.
My idea of a life well spent (excluding work and being useful): hiking with my family; long conversations over endless cups of coffee (some table pounding is permitted); an endless countr.y road and a bike; books and a comfortable armchair; and writing, writing, writing.
And there you have it, Me in a nutshell
My idea of a life well spent (excluding work and being useful): hiking with my family; long conversations over endless cups of coffee (some table pounding is permitted); an endless countr.y road and a bike; books and a comfortable armchair; and writing, writing, writing.
And there you have it, Me in a nutshell
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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September 27, 2011Avi Greenbaum is Jewish and lives in West Jerusalem. Moussa Shakir is Palestinian and lives in East Jerusalem. Their lives are parallel, but each is oblivious to the other’s existence. When their soccer teams play each other in what their coaches hope will be a step in the direction of peace, they must navigate this legacy of suspicion and violence and decide what their own roles in the stalemate will be.
In his latest novel for young adults, Toronto author Nicholas Maes offers readers a different perspective on the conflict in Israel, told from the alternating perspectives of Avi and Moussa. Both characters are equally well fleshed out and sympathetic, and Maes does an excellent job of highlighting the similarities between the boys despite their different cultures. They have both recently turned 15. Both have absent fathers, older brothers in the army and sisters who are about to be married. Both play soccer. Both also question their own courage and resolve to eventually take their place among the soldiers and “to do what men do.” Throughout the novel, the boys’ respective soccer teams face each other in a series of “friendly” matches, but with each match, tensions both on and off the field escalate, mirroring the escalating conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Maes also does an excellent job of keeping the author’s voice neutral, allowing his characters to act as guides for the reader. Through their eyes, readers discover that there are many shades of grey to every conflict, and gain deeper insight into why each side feels as they do. There is a lot of deep emotion and feelings tied up in the war, and even among their classmates, the boys encounter different and extreme points of view. Neither boy’s mind is set in stone; they question, and wonder like any teenager. While they know innately that there should be peace, they simply can’t bring themselves to believe that it is possible.
This is not an easy topic to tackle, and it is handled with exceptional fairness and eloquence in Crescent Star. For independent reading, the book would work best with high school students, but would also be an excellent discussion book with junior high and high school readers. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Rachel Seigel in Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2011, Vol. 34, No. 2)
In his latest novel for young adults, Toronto author Nicholas Maes offers readers a different perspective on the conflict in Israel, told from the alternating perspectives of Avi and Moussa. Both characters are equally well fleshed out and sympathetic, and Maes does an excellent job of highlighting the similarities between the boys despite their different cultures. They have both recently turned 15. Both have absent fathers, older brothers in the army and sisters who are about to be married. Both play soccer. Both also question their own courage and resolve to eventually take their place among the soldiers and “to do what men do.” Throughout the novel, the boys’ respective soccer teams face each other in a series of “friendly” matches, but with each match, tensions both on and off the field escalate, mirroring the escalating conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Maes also does an excellent job of keeping the author’s voice neutral, allowing his characters to act as guides for the reader. Through their eyes, readers discover that there are many shades of grey to every conflict, and gain deeper insight into why each side feels as they do. There is a lot of deep emotion and feelings tied up in the war, and even among their classmates, the boys encounter different and extreme points of view. Neither boy’s mind is set in stone; they question, and wonder like any teenager. While they know innately that there should be peace, they simply can’t bring themselves to believe that it is possible.
This is not an easy topic to tackle, and it is handled with exceptional fairness and eloquence in Crescent Star. For independent reading, the book would work best with high school students, but would also be an excellent discussion book with junior high and high school readers. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Rachel Seigel in Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2011, Vol. 34, No. 2)
February 14, 2011
This is a really powerful and thought-provoking look at the conflict in Israel, told from the alternating perspectives of two teenagers living in its midst. The author takes great pains to present the conflict from both sides, and to offer perspective without bias or judgement. Perfect for a social justice unit in a grade 8 or above classroom. Due to the heavy subject matter, it would best be taught and discussed in a controlled setting.
December 3, 2012
Young adult book. Claimed to present a 'balanced' view on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Seemed more favourable to the Jews than the Palestinians to me. Also annoyingly full of typos!
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