My Name Is Bana

This book is about Bana Alabed, a Syrian girl who documented the siege of Aleppo on Twitter with the help of her mother. Bana asks her mum why she is called “Bana”. Her mother explains that she is named after a tall, bushy tree that grows in Syria, because her parents want her to be strong. Bana then wants to know what it means to be strong, and her mother explains the meaning of strength in ways that will melt your heart! Complementing the storyline, the illustrations exude the love between mother and daughter so well!

This book is especially significant against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with many children being affected. After all, in Bana’s words, “Every child deserves to live in peace.”