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Sami And The Time Of The Troubles is a novel that’s classified under historical fiction. The story revolves around the life of the protagonist, Sami. He is a 10-year old Lebanese boy, who tries to balance his life during a Lebanon Civil War. The book stresses on how children look at war conditions. Summary Of The Book Sami and his family go underground to distance themselves from the bloodshed during the civil war. While bunking in the basement of his uncle’s house, Sami talks to readers about his underground life. Radio is the only source of entertainment. While the noise of the active bombs and that of the fighting travel down to the basement, the adults dauntlessly manipulate the children into making them feel safe and sound. The family makes a small treasure trove in the basement, which includes not just valuables, but even carpets and porcelains. They beat stuffiness by going into the open for fresh air when the bombs and fights are inactive, of course, with shivers running down their spine. They pray everyday for the scenario to turn normal again. Sami often dreams of how he can go out in the open and meet his friends again to play with them. The authors also provide insights into how other people, amidst the war ruins, deal with the situation. People resume their normal life when the war scene is inactive; they celebrate, get married, and shop again. The book brims with amazing illustrations in water color by Ted Lewin. Pictures of a bridal party in the middle of the war, hefty old coffee drinkers, and the beautiful sun spreading its rays in every direction on the land and into the bright blue sky, are bound to bring the book close to reality in the minds of the readers. About The Authors Florence Parry Heide was one of America’s renowned children’s writers. She did part of her college education in Chambersburg, PA, from Wilson College before she was transferred to UCLA in 1930. Before she returned home during World War II, she worked as a PR, and in an advertising company. She died at the age of 92 in 2011. Her other works include Treehorn's Treasure, Treehorn’s Wish, and The Shrinking of Treehorn. Judith Heide Gilliland is the daughter of Florence Parry Heide, who is one of the co-authors of the book, Sami And The Times Of Troubles. She has also written Strange Birds and Not In The House, Newton! Ted Lewin has done the illustrations for Sami And The Times Of Troubles. His 1994 book, Peppe the Lamplighter, got him the Caldecott Honor. Eve Bunting’s One Green Apple with his illustrations won an Arab American Book Award under the category of books written for children. Some of the other books that are illustrated by Lewin include Ted and Betsy Lewin's World of Picture Books, Travels with Ted and Betsy Lewin, and Around the World With Ted and Betsy Lewin.