FROM THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE LAST PEARL AND DANCING AT THE VICTORY CAFE, this is a beautiful novel about family secrets, wartime betrayals and redemption. May 1941 and the island of Crete is invaded by paratroopers from the air. After a lengthy fight, thousands of British and Commonwealth soldiers are forced to take to the hills or become escaping PoWs, sheltered by the Cretan villagers. Sixty years later, Lois West and her young son, Alex, invite feisty Great Aunt Pen to a special eighty-fifth birthday celebration on Crete, knowing she has not been back there since the war. Penelope George - formerly Giorgidiou - is reluctant to go but is persuaded by the fact it is the 60th anniversary of the Battle. It is time for her to return and make the journey she never thought she'd dare to. On the outward voyage from Athens, she relives her experiences in the city from her early years as a trainee nurse to those last dark days stranded on the island, the last female foreigner. When word spreads of her visit, and old Cretan friends and family come to greet her, Lois and Alex are caught up in her epic pilgrimage and the journey which leads her to a reunion with the friend she thought she had lost forever - and the truth behind a secret buried deep in the past... Praise for Leah Fleming 'I enjoyed it enormously.It's a moving and compelling story about a lifetime's journey in search of the truth' RACHEL HORE 'A born storyteller' KATE ATKINSON

Layla Anwar is a young Palestinian born into a land plagued with war and an apartheid regime. She knows all too well what it means to be an outcast, second class in a country she calls home. But Layla is also an outsider within her village and family. Whispers surround her growing up... ones that mask the secrets her family has kept for generations. Secrets and subjugation continue to plague Layla's adolescence and young adult life after the move to America, as the monsters of her past threaten to break the relationships she most cherishes. A lifetime of tragedy haunts her until she is forced to confront the truth and rectify the mistakes that have shaped her destiny. Layla uncovers the unholiest of secrets on her path to redemption as she discovers the truth of her family's history.

The house next door to Sameer’s had been empty for as long as he could remember. The family had gone away when the war began. But now they were back, and he was ready to have fun with his new playmate. Together they could climb the big olive tree that overlooked both their gardens, and eat the delicious olives it produced. The only problem was that Muna, the little girl next door, didn’t want to play and she didn’t want to share the olives. She said they belonged to her family alone—that is, until one fateful night when lightning struck the tree. Poignantly told by award-winning author Elsa Marston and with beautiful paintings from award-winning illustrator Claire Ewart, The Olive Tree follows two children as they learn to share and work together by looking past their differences. It shows young readers that compassion and understanding lie at the heart of all friendships.

When Israel attacked Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, and Syria on June 5, 1967, husband and wife, Sally Bahous and Delmas Allen, knew that to ensure their safety they must soon leave Beirut, Lebanon, which had been their home for the last four years. With their three young children Carrie, Jimbo, and Sudie they boarded the USS Exilona bound for the United States. At that time more than forty years ago, author Sally Bahous didn't realize she would never return to Beirut. Based on letters Sally and Delmas wrote to their parents during the four years they lived in Beirut, this memoir vividly conveys the richness of Palestinian family life, history, and culture before and after Israel took possession of Palestinian lands, the political forces that originated and sustained Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands, and the injustice to the people that followed. Through a detailed portrayal of the daily lives of Sally's family in the Palestinian community already in exile in Beirut, Under Olive Trees describes the events and attitudes that led to that exile. Interwoven throughout are easy to- follow memories of life in Palestine before the exile to Beirut. Bahous paints a beautiful portrait of a life enriched by family and friends.

May 1941 and the island of Crete is invaded by paratroopers from the air. 60 years later, Lois West and her young son, Alex, invite feisty Great Aunt Pen to a special 85th birthday celebration on Crete, knowing she hasn't been back since the war. When word spreads of her visit, and old friends come to greet her, Lois and Alex are caught up in her pilgrimage and the journey which leads her to a reunion with the friend she thought she had lost - and the truth behind a secret buried in the past.

P is for Palestine is the world's first English-language ABC story book about Palestine, told in simple rhythmic rhyme with stunning illustrations to act as an educational, colorful, empowering reference for children, showcasing the geography, the beauty and strength of Palestinian culture. Anyone who has ever been to Palestine or who has Palestinian friends, colleagues, or neighbors knows that this proud nation is home to the sweetest oranges, most intricate embroideries, great dance moves (Dabkeh), fertile olive groves, and the sunniest people! This revised edition includes an appendix explaining some of the terms and Arabic words, written in their original language with simplified English pronunciation. Inspired by Palestinian people's own rich history in the literary and visual arts P is for Palestine is a book for children of all ages!

1938, Penelope George lives a charmed existence preparing to be a debutante. But it is an empty life - a gilded cage with its door firmly shut on adventure and independence. When her sister Evadne needs her help in Athens, Penny seizes the opportunity to escape the straitjacket of London society. Arriving in the historic city, she reinvents herself, finding her true vocation as a Red Cross nurse, just anther stranger among strangers. Until war breaks out.