Yazan is no longer able to go to the park and play and he cannot see his friends because his Damascus neighborhood is dangerous with violence and war. His parents are glued to the news and he does not understand why everything around him is changing. His mother helps him make indoors as fun as outdoors and calmly explains that he cannot go outside today but hopefully soon. This is a creative and beautiful portrayal of the realities of many Syrian children.

Middle East Book Award Honor, 2019. USBBY Outstanding International Books, 2019.

Author is from Damascus, Syria and now lives in the United Kingdom.

Syria. Originally published in Arabic English/ London by Box of Tales Publishing House in 2012. English translation by Nadine Kaadan published in the United States by Lantana Publishing/ distributed by Lerner in 2018.

Yazan no longer goes to the park to play, and he no longer sees his friend who lives next door. Everything around him is changing. His parents sit in front of the television with the news turned up LOUD and Yazan's little red bike leans forgotten against the wall. Will he ever be able to go outside and play? An uplifting story about a courageous little boy growing up in a time of conflict, and the strength of family love.