This book is a true story about the impact of the war in Syria on a young boy, Muhammad Najem, who grew up beneath the bombs. The circumstances are awful, but even though this graphic memoir never hides from that reality, the way it is told left me thinking not about damage, but about the power of the hope and courage that grow in the roots of loving families.

The story begins at the outbreak of the Syrian War in 2011. Muhammad is just eight years old, and has two big brothers and both parents still alive. Much will change. We are shown everything through Muhammad’s eyes, seeing the horrors unfold to the point where, aged 15, he feels compelled to record the damage on a mobile and send it out into the world via social media.

“I want to show the world what is happening in Syria.”

Muhammad’s posts are seen. I can remember seeing a few on Twitter, and I struggled to believe then that they were real. In America the same reaction was happening, but one young reporter, Nora Neus, decided to contact Muhammad. She followed his posts closely, and over the years since has got to know the family and their lives, eventually working with Muhammad, and the illustrator, Julie Robine, to produce this book.

I had the great privilege of reading the book with a young reader whose family are from Syria. At the time I was worried that it might bring the trauma too close, but it did not. Rather there was joy at being able to read about ‘home’, and a hunger for the intimate family details, particularly the love story that emerges at the end.

I think this is such a powerful book, mainly because of the way it manages to bring us so close to Muhammad and his family. We live the bombardments beside them, and then, right at the end, just in case we might be doubting the reality of any of it, there are photographs confirming what we have been shown.

How did I come across this book? Nora Neus, is the daughter of a friend of mine.

The first edition of the book was published in 2022 by Little Brown and Company (New York and Boston)

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023