The Six-Day Hero

February 15, 2017
The Six-Day War, told from the point of view of an Israeli seventh-grader in 1967.Motti lives in Jerusalem in a country that's only 19 years old--just like his older brother, born on Israel's first day of independence. Pale-eyed, freckled Motti identifies as one of the "native Israeli Sabras," born in Jerusalem like his father, though his mother's Yiddish-inflected Hebrew implies an Eastern European origin. His Jerusalem neighborhood is populated by Jews from Hungary, Germany, Iraq, and Iran. The neighborhood even features Ethiopian monks. Indeed, all that's lacking is Muslims, as 19 years ago the Jews and Muslims of Jerusalem fled to the sectors defined by their new national border. As the governments of Israel and her neighbors jockey for position, Motti's father and older brother are called up for active duty. Soon war begins, and Motti huddles in air raid shelters; it's a claustrophobic week for an energetic boy, even given that it's one of the world's shortest wars. All the anger against Israel in Motti's world emanates from disembodied armies and governments; the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem welcome the conquering Israelis like friendly neighbors: "smiling shyly" and waving; the Palestinian childhood friend of Motti's father even serves mint tea and cookies. Occasionally, narrator Motti's voice slips entirely into a textbook-style description of the war. A straightforward vehicle for a single viewpoint of recent history; supplement with other perspectives for a more complete story. (Historical fiction. 11-13)

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March 15, 2017
Grades 5-8 Set in West Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War, this highlights the experiences of 12-year-old Jewish Israeli Motti. Generally, Motti's life is pretty routineschool, soccer, hanging with friend Yossi, and visiting neighbors, like Mrs. Friedburg, a Holocaust survivor. But threats to Israel from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan are escalating, and talk of war is everywhere. While worried, Motti also wishes he could serve in the army, like his older brother Gideon and heroes from Israel's past. Then military reserves, including his father, are called up; Yossi's family leaves the country; and soon Motti and others must take refuge in bomb shelters. As the brief war progresses, Motti discovers heroism takes many forms, but he also learns about war's tragic consequences, including for his own family. Motti's accessibly written, first-person narrative details the unfolding events as well as his efforts to stay brave despite fears, cope with grief, and retain hope for a peaceful future. While this individualizes war's impact from a Jewish youth's perspective, for broader understanding of the subject, it's probably best paired with additional reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)