Carolyn Marsden's "The White Zone" does something that most children's books refuse to do. That is, it addresses heavy political and religious topics. Not just one or two, but several that children (and adults) have trouble understanding.
That being said, while I applaud the book for trying to actively address this topic (while still having that necessary moral about how people aren't that different on the inside), there are a few things that are wrong with it. First of all, I know my Sunni/Shiite knowledge is limited, and younger children will have even less knowledge unless they are part of that culture. It would be nice to have a small section detailing why there is so much fighting among the Sunni and the Shiites in order to allow the children to understand.
In fact, that's my biggest qualm about most of the book - a little more detail, a little more background, in order for younger children to really understand what is going on. Taking that into consideration, as well as brushing up some of the writing, I really think this book has the potential to be wonderful, and something that children will gain a lot out of by reading it.
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