Samir and Yonatan left something in translation.

Israeli-born author, Daniella Carmi, produces a middle-grade story about a Palestinian boy, Samir, facing who he sees as the enemy--the Jews--while in an Israeli hospital on the West Bank. From that blurb, it sounds like a live wire of conflict and interest, but it falls flat on delivery.

The narrative mainly takes place in a hospital ward occupied by Samir and four Jewish children. This grows tedious with the daily activities of each kid. I wish the setting had been fleshed out more, especially the time. Was this during the Intifada? The Yugoslavian civil war is mentioned and Samir’s brother is fighting in Kuwait, but unless you know those “sign posts,” as I doubt many American middle schoolers do, you’d be lost.

I think much of these issues come down to the cultural divide, more than a translation issue. While the author didn’t come out for a particular side, she also didn’t drive home the message of peace. Saying “everyone is made of the same stuff” is sort of a cop-out when Samir is still blaming the Jews for his brother’s death. The resolution is too simple.

With all that said, I was pleased that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was shown from the latter perspective. I just wish that the narrative had gone further to show both sides outside the hospital walls.